Hands Up High
by SprayPaintzz
Summary: AU He was left alone. "Were you really alone or did you just assume you were alone?" He didn't have anyone. "That's kind of insulting towards your friends, Sasuke." No one left loved him. "Sorry I'm not enough for the mighty Uchiha Sasuke..."
1. Vice City

**SP/n:** Ohhai thar! I'm not dead. :)

I apologize for any wrong:  
><strong>spellings,<strong>  
><span>punctuations,<span>  
><em>and sense. :D<em>

**d i s c l a i me r :**  
>SprayPaintzz, doesn't own Naruto,<br>nor its' characters.  
>Thankyou. :)<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Hands Up High<strong>

**.**

.

_:::_

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.

**Chapter ONE**

* * *

><p>"<em>Teme! We're having pizza at Kiba's. Call meeeeee."<em>

"_Yo, uh, hey... Right. Uh, get out of the house."_

"_Saucy! Party this weekend! Call me for details."_

"_Why weren't you at school yesterday? I missed you~"_

"_Hey, my mom wanted to invite you for dinner. We have chicken."_

"_No emo-time for youuuu~ Ino is here to bring some cheer~!"_

"_Shino brought some wicked alcohol from some European country, you _have_ to taste it!"_

"_PARTY! PARTY!"_

"_Teme! I hope you're not dead!"_

"_Yo! It's been 5 months! Why aren't you back at school?"_

"_Uchiha, everyone's getting worried."_

"_Teme! Graduation's tomorrow! Coooooommee!"_

"_...Hey, just wanted to know if you're still there."_

"_Teme, teme, temeeeeeeee..."_

"_Teme..."_

"_Sasuke-teme..."_

"_Sasuke..."_

_No new messages_

The Uchiha took a long drag of his cancer stick before blowing out a dark grey cloud of smoke. He lay on the couch, the TV on, 5 empty packs of cigarette strewn across the coffee table and on the floor, and 2 liquor bottles, one empty, one half-full; or half-empty in Sasuke's case.

His house smelt of a mixture of nicotine, weed and alcohol. It was like that for three years already. Not like anyone was around to nag him about it.

He took another drag and let it stay in his mouth for a few more seconds before exhaling it through his nose.

Not a single minute of everyday has that memory left his mind. He wanted to blame someone, anyone! But he couldn't really blame anyone, so he blamed himself. Anything and everything, he blamed himself; the way his house became a dumpsite, how he wasn't able to finish college, how he had become. But most of all he blamed himself since he wasn't able to do anything as things went on their natural course.

Born. Live. Die.

He couldn't really do anything about that, so...

He stopped caring,

Stopped trying,

Stopped hoping,

Stopped dreaming

And shut himself from the world.

It started with a few parties, then escaladed to a million parties, most of them he was too drunk and hammered to even remember. He wanted to forget, forget _that_ memory, ironically in his hammered and drunk self it was the only thing he remembered. Since the drunken parties were no use he decided to just stay away from everyone, anything and everything.

11:12AM

His stomach growled for the nth time that day. Or the past two days since his last meal. If you consider instant ramen a meal.

Sasuke inhaled a long breath as his cancer stick disappeared in seconds. Throwing the remains in the ashtray he exhaled and stood up towards the kitchen. He yanked the refrigerator and every cabinet and drawer open only to find something expired or nothing. He growled and shut a cabinet roughly with a slam. That only meant one thing.

He had to go to the market, which was outside.

He stomped through the kitchen and on to the living room where he downed the rest of the half-empty (half-full) bottle of liquor and snatched a cigarette, lit it and out he went. He didn't even bother changing or locking his door.

He stopped caring anyway.

His walk towards the nearest store was less than comforting since people who saw him either whispered or shut their mouths as he passed by. Unfortunately, _everyone_ knew him. So he sped up his pace and entered the store.

He picked out 7 packs of instant ramen, two bottles of liquor and a stick of gum. He paid for it and left, all in 7 minutes.

As he reached his house, he threw the plastic of instant ramen on a couch, slammed the two liquor bottles and hastily opened one. Once it was open he drank it as if it were water. He gave a contented sigh and sat back on the couch, then he realized something. He didn't turn off the TV. Meh, no one's nagging, is there now?

.

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_:::_

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"Sasuke! Sasuke! Sasuke!"

The said boy opened his eyes and glared at the ceiling. Someone was asking for their death sentence as they continuously banged on his door with no mercy.

"I heard you went outside! Let's eat somewhere! I'm buying!"

Apparently, it was his best friend, or ex-best friend. He didn't utter a sound, nor did he even get up, he just lay there in all his alcohol and nicotine comfort. He waited a few more minutes as the banging didn't seem to subside. He frowned as the banging increased and took a long swig of his drink, spilling some since he was lying down.

Then he was met with silence.

"I'll come back some other day, you bastard!" were the last words he heard before he was met with the deafening silence again.

First he woke up to no food, then he was forced to go out of the house, then Naruto even had the nerve of knocking on his door. This day was not pleasant, at all.

He reached under the couch and pulled out a bag of weed and decided to just get high. He lit it in the ashtray and let the smoke overtake the nicotine in the air.

.

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_:::_

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_This must be it._

A pink-headed girl looked up at the house, if you even consider it a house. Part of the lawn was a shade of light brown while the other parts had grown too much. The hedges were a hideous shape since it lacked trimming and the flowers that littered about were dead, aside from daises and dandelions sprouting around. Those were weeds. A few cigarette butts littered the stone walkway and mail piled up at the porch.

She cringed imagining what the inside must have looked if the outside looked like _this_. She inhaled a long breath and trudged toward the house, she let out the breath and immediately regretted it as she was met with a hideous mixture of nicotine and weed.

"Oh my God." She said exasperatedly as she tried to cover her nose to block out the smell, mission failed.

She held in her breath as she rasped on the door.

_Here goes nothing._

.

.

_KNOCK! KNOCK!_

Sasuke turned to his door and glared at it. _Naruto again?_

He could've cared less as he turned back to the TV. Moments later, he figured out it wasn't Naruto since no one was shouting or uttering profanities. _Solicitors maybe_. He continued to ignore the knocking and increased the volume on his TV.

Minutes passed and the knocking still didn't cease.

Sasuke growled and stood up from his couch and yanked open the door only to be met with a girl, she had her eyes squinted and both hands covered the lower part of her face. If he wasn't high he would've questioned the color of her hair, since otherwise he stared at her, his eyes bloodshot red.

The girl looked up, eyes still squinted. "Are you Uchiha Sasuke?"

Sasuke raised a brow, who was this girl? She even dared to ask that question. Everyone knew him. He tried to slam the door, note the keyword tried, as the girl blocked it with her body.

"Wait!"

"Who are you?" He growled, trying to push the door closed.

"Oh my God, it stinks." She mumbled. "You're Uchiha Sasuke, right?"

"So?"

"Uchiha Mikoto sent me."

Sasuke's eyes widen and let his hold on the door loosen, he stared at the girl.

"Who are you?"

* * *

><p><strong>SPn: **I probably don't deserve a lot of reviews since I was dormant for about 2 years.  
>But tell me what you think! :)<p>

Thinking about lkjgakevrjh '**The Cool Off**' and making aghklaejrhg '**Miss Concepcion**' nakgjhakljrgla.  
>Take a guess. ;)<p> 


	2. No Tears, Since Three Years

**SP/n:** I really wasn't expecting a two-digit review for the first chapter. THANKING YOU. :') I crey so much.

It may be too soon for this chapter but then I felt nice since I was dead on _FF_**dot**_net_ for 2 years. Here you go!

I apologize for any wrong:  
><strong>spellings,<strong>  
><span>punctuations,<span>  
><em>and sense. :D<em>

**d i s c l a i me r :**  
>SprayPaintzz, doesn't own Naruto,<br>nor its' characters.  
>Thankyou. :)<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Hands Up High<strong>

.

.

_:::_

.

.

**Chapter TWO**

* * *

><p><em>Recap:<em>

"_Who are you?" He growled, trying to push the door closed._

"_Oh my God, it stinks." She mumbled. "You're Uchiha Sasuke, right?"_

"_So?"_

"_Uchiha Mikoto sent me."_

_Sasuke's eyes widen and let his hold on the door loosen, he stared at the girl._

"_Who are you?"_

.

.

_:::_

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.

"Who are you?"

"Haruno Sakura." She said then leaned to the side to look behind Sasuke. She was right. The state of the inside of the house was a gajillion times worse than the outside. Bottles were everywhere, some were even broken; cigarette butts littered anywhere and she could see something smoking from the coffee table. Assorted packets of instant ramen, junk food, gum wrappers and milk cartons lay unforgotten on the floor.

"What are you doing here?" Sasuke asked darkly.

Sakura straightened to meet his gaze, she could tell what was burning from the coffee table by the way his eyes looked. "Mikoto-san invited me."

Sasuke chuckled grimly. "Well, if you know her so much, then you probably should've known that that invitation is void."

"Oh, I know. She insisted I visit, with or without her."

"Well, she's not here. You should know by now what happened." Sasuke said, glaring.

"Yes, I know." Sakura said, her face saddened. "Since I am a guest, shouldn't you welcome me?" She smiled.

Sasuke stared at her questioningly. _Where did this_ thing_ come from?_ She claimed she knew his mother and had the nerve of barging in his house then she even expected a warm welcome from him? Aside knowing his name and his mother, he was a stranger to her as she was to him.

"No." He slammed the door in her unsuspecting face.

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_:::_

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Two days later Sasuke was woken up by an incessant rasping on his door.

He growled and tried to drown out the noise with the couch pillow, unfortunately it did him no good. So he stood up and opened the door only to meet with the new nuisance he had met the other day. _Great. How could this day possibly get any better?_

"Why are you here?" Sasuke grumbled, his face fell on his palm.

She held up two plastic bags and smiled. "I'm here to cook you some food. Let's get some proper food into that belly of yours." She said, poking his stomach as she made her way in the house and towards the kitchen.

Hastily, Sasuke grabbed her shoulder and tried to pull her back out of the house. "Woah, some nerve you have of barging into my house. You claim to know my mother and you think that grants you access to my house?"

She seemed unfazed by his roughness. "I'm doing something nice here, okay? I don't know you and you obviously don't know me. So, why don't we get to know each other by having some brunch. I heard that you like tomatoes." She said, shrugging off his hand and proceeded towards the kitchen.

Sasuke glared at her and slammed the door shut and followed her into the kitchen. Maybe he could throw her out the window. Nah, she won't fit.

She set the bags on the island and scanned the place with a critical eye. She then concluded, this place was a dump. She opened the refrigerator and immediately was scared for her life. In there were a lot of food but judging by the smell of it everything was expired. The smell was a mixture of rotten eggs, foot sweat and armpit in a pig sty.

Sakura pinched her nose and looked towards the blank-faced Sasuke. "When was the last time you cleaned?"

"Three years ago." He replied, leaving the poor girl to fend for herself against the vile contents of the kitchen.

.

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.

A few hours passed and the food Sakura prepared was leaning more on lunch rather than on brunch. She had managed to clean Sasuke's kitchen, not really spotless but enough for any living creature to be able to walk through without the fear of having a mutated pile of coleslaw jump at them. Though what Sakura couldn't get rid of was the smell of weed and nicotine. _I'll get to that._

She entered the living room, where the smell of weed and nicotine were at its' strongest. "I'm done cooking."

"You can leave then." Sasuke said, not taking his eyes off of the television.

Sakura frowned. "A thank you would be nice."

"I will thank you when you leave my house and never come back— ever."

"Don't be such an ungrateful brat." Sakura said, pulling Sasuke off of the couch, more like trying since Sasuke wasn't moving an inch.

He roughly shoved her off of his arm, Sakura stumbled back onto a single couch that released a puff of dust as she landed, she coughed in anger and protest. "Why don't you just leave already? No one really asked you to take care of me." Sasuke growled.

"But... you need to... at least clean..." She coughed.

"Why don't you go to an orphanage? Maybe you're more useful there." Sasuke seethed.

Sakura's face was set blank, not a single trace of emotion on her face, anger, sadness, none. "I'll come back tomorrow."

"Don't bother." Sasuke said before he heard a slam.

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That night Sasuke found himself in the kitchen for the first time that day and found Sakura's cooking left on the island. A plate of spaghetti lay cold. Deciding to let his pride slide, he slid the plate in the microwave and heated it for about 2 minutes. Once it was done he took a skeptic bite, surprisingly he found the food delectable. Or maybe he was just thinking that since he hadn't had a proper meal in a while. Yeah, he preferred to agree with the latter.

He placed the dish on the sink and just left it there. Then there was this nagging feeling at the back of his head. He went back to the sink and washed his plate and placed it on the dish rack to dry. Sasuke stood there, surveying his kitchen, everything was clean. He opened the fridge and found that all of the previous contents were gone and replaced; a carton of milk, a dozen eggs, cheese, vegetables and of course tomatoes. He noticed that she even took out the trash.

Then a wave of nostalgia came rushing in.

He suddenly felt his mother's presence, like she never left. That feeling when your mother had just cooked you your favourite dessert after you had a minor boo-boo at the park. It felt like that. And at that moment, Sasuke wanted to cry.

But he didn't.

Because Uchiha's didn't cry.

Not anymore.

.

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_:::_

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.

The next day Sakura arrived at his house looking prepared. She had brought a surgical mask, wore the most unflattering shirt he had ever seen on anyone, had on Daisy Duke shorts and carried a plastic of what seemed to be air freshener. _Smells like mint... and oranges._

"You don't give up do you?" Sasuke mumbled though Sakura heard him.

"Nope." She beamed, letting herself in the house. She dropped her things on the floor, not really caring since every inch of the house was practically covered in filth.

In the living room she saw that Sasuke was smoking— again. Wow, big surprise. He had a cup of, hopefully not moldy, instant ramen on the table. Her eyes trailed back to the Uchiha and saw that he wore the same clothes as of three days ago.

"When was the last time you took a bath?"

Sasuke shrugged, flopping on the couch and skimmed through channels. He picked up an already lit cigarette and inhaled deeply. "I don't know. A week?"

Sakura cringed. "A week?" she cried.

"My house. No one's complaining."

Sakura then began shuffling about the house looking for the bathroom. When she did find it she was slightly surprised that it wasn't really that dirty: not totally spotless but usable. "Wow, this is surprisingly sanitary enough." Though it did reek of weed. Sakura hurriedly rushed to the living, grabbed her plastic of air fresheners and back to the bathroom where she shook a container of orange scented air purifier and set it on top of the toilet. _Mm, orange-y._

Sakura went back to the living room and held her breath as she spoke to Sasuke. "Sasuke," she smiled sweetly. "Do you wanna take a bath?"

Sasuke turned his head to her and stared a few seconds before puffing out gray smoke in her face. In protest Sakura pulled back and coughed swatting the smell from her surroundings. As she did so Sasuke stood up and walked towards the bathroom.

"That... jerk!" Sakura coughed walking towards her bag, she pulled out her inhaler and took a big breath in. She sighed in relief. She noticed that Sasuke was not around, taking her chance, she hooked the surgical mask around the lower part of her face and pulled out a black trash bag. Then began her journey across Sasuke's first floor, picking up whatever trash she found.

She started at the den-slash-mini library, it wasn't messy just really dusty. She only managed to pick up a few bottles and set them aside. She passed by the dining room and found the same things as the previous room; dust and bottles. She had cleaned the kitchen yesterday so it was out of the question and that left the living room. Probably then she'd be able to fill up her still empty trash bag.

It's as if Sasuke practically lived in the living since the rest of the house seemed neat minus some dust that had collected over time.

"This is gonna be fun." Sakura muttered before diving into the fiery depths that is Sasuke's living room.

Sakura began setting aside the numerous bottles that littered the floor, couch and table; soon after she picked up every cigarette butt and instant ramen packet, among others, she could find. She even had the decency to clear out Sasuke's overflowing ash tray. You would _not_ believe the amount of soot it contained. After picking up every piece of trash she could find she then gathered up some courage to do what most feared— yes everyone, she bent down and scoured under the couches. Terrifying, I know.

Each time Sakura pulled out her hand it was either covered in some black/gray dust or had a plastic of weed. _This kid is gonna get arrested, soon._

Finally, when Sasuke emerged from the bathroom in all his squeaky clean, skin glistening, towel clad glory; he was met with a crouching invader with her butt as his focus. He raised a brow as she continued to reach under his sofa only to pull out his precious weed stash. _Bitch, no._

Quickly, Sasuke grabbed Sakura's shirt and pulled her up. "What do you think you're doing?" He growled.

"Sasuke, you need help..." Sakura said, ignoring his question as she raised a plastic bag. "There are about twenty of these down there!" She noticed that Sasuke was really thin. As in stick thin. She made a mental note to herself.

Sasuke snatched the bag and stuffed it back under his couch along with the rest that Sakura managed to pull out. "Just because I let you in my house doesn't mean that you can just take over my life."

She pulled down her mask and matched Sasuke's gaze. "It's not really a take over if you're the one benefitting rather than me." Sakura said.

"Then, why are you even here?" he seethed, glaring down at her, his hand twitching to just strangle the girl.

"I'm doing something nice here, why can't you appreciate that?"

"Do you consider privacy invasion as something _nice_?"

"I made a promise to your mother."

"I don't even know you! How am I supposed to believe that you actually know mother? My mother is _dead_!" Sasuke cried exasperatedly.

"Don't say it like that..." Sakura said sadly.

"Like what?" Sasuke growled. "Like the truth? She's dead. Dead. DEAD. DEAD! Gone! Forever!" he spat. "You know what? I was just fine before you barged in." He roughly grabbed Sakura's upper arm and dragged her towards the door. "Fuck up some other poor sap." He growled, shoving Sakura outside his house along with the rest of her stuff and slamming the door, locking it in the process.

He stomped back to his couch and pulled out to bags, he lit it hurriedly along with a cigarette stick and allowed the smoke to fill up his senses. He inhaled deeply and flopped on the couch, not caring if he was still in his towel or that he had just thrown out a girl.

If his mother were still here she would've nagged him about how to treat a girl.

But then she wasn't.

She won't ever be.

* * *

><p><strong>SPn:** Uchiha hatred is smexy.

Okay, little poll:

Should I make this story...  
><em>Fast<br>_or  
><strong>Slow<strong>

Like how the timeline flows.

**P.S.** Since no one tried to guess or maybe even cared, I was thinking of deleting **'The Cool Off'** and making **'Miss Concepcion'** a threeshot.

Leave your comments and suggestions in the reviews!  
>Thankyou. :)<p> 


	3. Blackhole Vacuum

**SP/n:** This is chapter is short so I decided to up it early. HAPPY MOMMA'S DAY!

I apologize for any wrong:  
><strong>spellings,<br>**punctuations,  
><em>and sense. :D<em>

**d i s c l a i me r :**  
>SprayPaintzz, doesn't own Naruto,<br>nor its' characters.  
>Thankyou. :)<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Hands Up High<strong>

.

.

_:::_

.

.

**Chapter THREE**

* * *

><p><em>Recap:<em>

_He stomped back to his couch and pulled out two bags, he lit it hurriedly along with a cigarette stick and allowed the smoke to fill up his senses. He inhaled deeply and flopped on the couch, not caring if he was still in his towel or that he had just thrown out a girl._

_If his mother were still here she would've nagged him about how to treat a girl._

_But then she wasn't._

.

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_:::_

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.

The next few days, Sasuke's life was back to normal as that female nuisance didn't show up again after he had literally thrown her out of his house. Naruto though came to annoy him saying that someone saw a girl who kept coming back to his house. As usual he didn't even open the door.

_KNOCK! KNOCK!_

"Sasuke... It's Sakura." Fuck.

"I know you won't open the door since you know it's me." _Got that right_. "But a week already passed and I think that the food I brought last week would probably be gone. So... I'm just here to drop off groceries."

The door opened to reveal a bored Uchiha with a cancer stick between his lips. The way he stood against the door, slumped, and the way his eyes were dropping a bloodshot red; Sakura could guess he was slightly out of his mind. He grabbed the plastic out of Sakura's hands and shut the door in her face.

Sakura sighed and turned to walk away when suddenly the door opened again. She turned her head with curiosity.

Sasuke stood there still slumped against his door, his cigarette now stuck between his fingers. "Hey... did you dye that?" he pointed the stick to her hair.

Unconsciously Sakura reached for her shoulder length hair and responded. "Um, no... It's natural."

"Hm." Sasuke looked thoughtful for a while. "Okay." Then he slammed the door again.

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_:::_

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The next day Sasuke awoke to a weird humming sound. It was loud. He sat up and looked around and saw the pink-headed freak vacuuming everything in sight. He glared. _Fucking shit._

"Breaking and entering is considered a crime you know." He said, shutting off the vacuum cleaner.

"It's not breaking and entering if you don't lock your door." Sakura stated, turning the vacuum cleaner on.

"You still have no right." Off.

"Stop doing that." On.

Off.

On.

Off.

On.

Off. He grabbed the hose from her hands and glared at her. "Get. Out."

On. Grab. "Make me." She glared back.

_Ha. Wrong move._ Sasuke then grabbed Sakura by her upper arm and started for the door. Sakura looked around for anything to grab but then found none, so she dropped to the floor, jerking Sasuke to let go of her arm.

"Ha!" Sakura exclaimed.

Sasuke glared even more. He grabbed her leg and began dragging her across the floor, ignoring her screams of protest as she wriggled about. Sasuke managed to open the front door when Sakura suddenly kicked him on the leg with her other foot.

"Bitch!" He huddled over in pain.

Quickly recovering Sasuke managed to grab both her legs by her ankles. He was about to literally throw her out the door when Sakura managed to grab a hold of his calves. As things went on their natural _cycle_, Sasuke fell to the floor on his butt. Ha, cycle. Get it? Cy...cle. Nevermind.

"Fuck!" Sasuke cursed, as Sakura quickly crawled over him.

Just as Sakura was getting up he pulled her down by her shirt, she landed on her front side, hard.

"That hurt!" Sakura coughed as some dust made their way into her nose.

"Just get out!" Sasuke cried as he stood up and grabbed Sakura by her waist, though she still remained glued to the floor.

"No! I made a promise to Mikoto-san!" Sakura cried, clinging to the floor with her life— poorly.

"I don't care!" Sasuke then managed to yank Sakura off of the floor but then she immediately clamped back down, bringing Sasuke down on top of her.

"I do!" Sakura breathed out. "Oh my God, you're heavy..."

...

Sasuke spaced out for a few seconds before he got off Sakura and proceeded to the couch-slash-his bed. "Whatever. Just stay out of my way."

Sakura smiled and went back to vacuuming the den and the dining room. Maybe sooner or later he'd let her clean the living room, but as of now, this was a good start.

.

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.

.

Sakura managed to clean the den and dining room and maybe even made the kitchen spotless. After she placed air fresheners in each room she was ready to leave. Sasuke didn't even mind her cleaning up, though he didn't really talk to her at all. He only passed by her around two times just to the bathroom.

"Hey, I cooked you some food." Sakura said as she slowly sat on a single couch, careful to not disturb any dust.

"Hn."

"I'll come back tomorrow." She said finally, standing up to gather her things.

"Why bother? You're done with your little charity work." He said, slumping further in his seat inhaling more of his cancer stick.

"Do I have your trust?"

Sasuke scoffed, that was enough of an answer for her.

"Then I'm not done yet." She said. Sasuke could only imagine that sickeningly sweet smile on her face. "See you tomorrow." Then followed a click and silence, except for the sounds coming from the TV.

Sasuke grunted when a smell of mint came to his senses.

"Annoying little shit."

* * *

><p><strong>SPn:** We don't have a vacuum.

Going to answer a few questions, okay.  
>-He's stick thin cause he really doesn't eat anything and just smokes and shit.<br>-She's not an angel. Hahah.  
>-I will do my best to finish this story. :D<p>

Slow wins.

Tell me what you think! :)


	4. How Old Are You Again?

**SP/n:** Moodily in pain.

I apologize for any wrong:  
><strong>spellings,<br>**punctuations,  
><em>and sense. :D<em>

**d i s c l a i me r :**  
>SprayPaintzz, doesn't own Naruto,<br>nor its' characters.  
>Thankyou. :)<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Hands Up High <strong>

.

.

_:::_

.

.

**Chapter FOUR**

* * *

><p><em>Recap:<em>

"_Do I have your trust?"_

_Sasuke scoffed, that was enough of an answer for her._

"_Then I'm not done yet." She said. Sasuke could only imagine that sickeningly sweet smile on her face. "See you tomorrow." Then followed a click and silence, except for the sounds coming from the TV._

_Sasuke grunted when a smell of mint came to his senses._

"_Annoying little shit."_

.

.

_:::_

.

.

The next day Sakura arrived just as she had promised. She still wore the most unflattering clothes on the earth and brought air purifiers and a surgical mask.

"Good morning." She beamed, she had in her hand wet wipes which she used to wipe on the single couch. Fortunately, Sasuke's furniture were leather so it was easy to wipe off any unwanted foreign inhabitants. After being contented, Sakura sat down happily.

_Persistent._ Sasuke watched her in annoyance as he drank down his liquor. There were about ten bottles on the coffee table, all were empty except for two. He turned back to the TV.

"Sooo... What do you do around here?" Sakura asked, attempting some small talk.

Sasuke shifted his eyes at her and back to the TV. "Are you seriously asking that question?"

Sakura gave a sheepish smile, not that anyone could see from behind her mask. "Um, what's your favourite color?" a shy laugh followed.

"Now you're just being desperate." Sasuke stated. "Why don't you not talk." It was more of a statement rather than a question.

"The only thing that we have in common is your mother and I don't really know if I should really open up that topic." Sakura stated.

Sasuke scoffed, he turned off the TV and threw the remote to the side, he turned his body to her, forearms resting on his knees. "Okay, then talk. Since you claim to _know_ my mother very well." His eyes bore into her and she noticed that he wasn't smoking or high today.

Sakura shifted uncomfortably in her seat, shocked by Sasuke's sudden forwardness. "Um, Uchiha Mikoto, was a mother of two sons, um, her husband was Uchiha Fugaku... Err..."

"That's it?" Sasuke scoffed. "I should've known. Did Naruto pay you? Ino? What did—?"

"She frequently travelled the world along with her husband and eldest son for business functions."

"Everyone knows that. Do—"

"But the country she usually visited whether alone or not was Switzerland. And everytime she went there she would always buy Lindt brand chocolates for her youngest son. Even though she knew he wasn't really fond of chocolates, she would always bring him some and send them to his dorm."

Sasuke stared at Sakura, then glared. "Who are you?"

"I told you, I'm a friend of your mother."

"How are you friends with her? You're like frickin' fourteen years old!"

This time it was Sakura's turn to glare. "I'm twenty-four, Sasuke." She deadpanned.

Sasuke pursed his lips, slightly ashamed of his accusation. He coughed and turned on the TV. _She's older than me._

And the air between them became awkward.

"You're not smoking." She stated, trying to break the tension in the air. And also since Sasuke was watching some Chinese horror movie which was something Sakura was not too fond of watching right now. In someone else's home without anyone to squeeze the life out as she'd scream for her life.

"I ran out."

"How long have you been smoking?"

"Three years."

_Aah, since _that_ time._ "What about drinking?"

"Five years."

"...Drugs?"

"A year."

Sakura gave a sigh at Sasuke's last answer. It would probably be the easiest to give-up.

"How often do you smoke pot?"

"Everyday. I don't really like the smell, but it's relaxing."

"Why don't you stop?"

"I told you, it's relaxing. And why am I even answering your questions. This isn't therapy." Sasuke growled.

"They're just some harmless questions between friends."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "We're not friends."

"Then let's work on that." Sakura then made the bold move of sitting next to Sasuke in his long couch. "How old are you?"

Sasuke glared at her close proximity, to which she seemed unfazed. "You're not allowed to sit here."

Sakura gave a sheepish laugh before backing up to her previous seat. "Oh, um... Sorry. I got a little excited there."

"Twenty-three." Sasuke replied, turning back to his movie.

Sakura smiled. It was slow, but there was progress between them. As the day went on Sakura kept on asking questions, some serious, to which Sasuke would react violently, and some not so, to which Sasuke would reply with one to three words. And Sakura noticed that as she kept asking questions Sasuke had stopped drinking; though his attention was mostly on the TV he would only reach for a bottle if Sakura's questions didn't arrive as soon as a few minutes.

Hours passed and it was time for Sakura to leave, but before she did so she didn't forget to leave a little meal for him.

"See you tomorrow." Sakura said and she couldn't help a small tug at her lips as Sasuke had his mouth full with the simple meal she made for him, porkchops. He merely grunted a response as his eyes refused to leave the television screen.

.

.

_:::_

.

.

Everyday for the next two weeks was like that. Sakura would arrive at his house, 9:10AM, engage in some very, very small talk; most talking done by Sakura, cook a meal for one then leave at 5:15PM. And everyday Sasuke sat on the same spot on _his_ couch; he bathed from time to time (not everyday as Sakura would've preferred it), occasionally drinking some alcohol and smoking a few sticks and some weed, and watched TV like there was no tomorrow.

Until the faithful day that his weed stash ran out.

Sakura was in the kitchen preparing food when Sasuke appeared by the doorway. He can walk people! Hallelujah! "You didn't really tell me how you knew my mother." He said abruptly.

Sakura looked up at him and stared questioningly at his sudden curiosity then went back to preparing Sasuke's food, the classic fried chicken. "Why the sudden curiosity?"

Sasuke walked up to the island and sat on one of the stools as he watched Sakura cook, resting his face on both his palms. "No reason. Just curious."

"It's not a very interesting story though." Sakura replied a bit distracted as she cut up some vegetables.

"Just talk."

At this Sakura giggled. "Someone's talkative today."

Glare.

"Okay, okay. I interned for two years at your dad's company in Switzerland, where my dad already worked in. Dad introduced me to the Uchiha's, your mom thought I was 'cute'," Sasuke scoffed and rolled his eyes. "And that was it. Funny thing though, our conversation starter was my hair."

"You do have weird hair." Sasuke agreed. "Your story was boring."

Sakura giggled again. "I told you it wasn't that interesting."

"What department did you intern in?"

"Finance."

"You're pretty smart for a ten year old."

Sakura glared, threatening to throw the onion in his face. "Don't push it, Uchiha."

"Ooh, so scared." Sasuke drawled as he snatched a carrot stick and made his way toward the refrigerator to take out a carton of milk. He grabbed a glass from the dish rack and poured a generous amount of milk in. Then a thought crossed his mind.

"This isn't like those stereotypical scenes where you suddenly cut your finger then I have to lick off the blood and we then have wild hot animalistic sex on the kitchen countertop, is it?"

Sakura turned to Sasuke, eyes wide with fear and shock. "You watch too much TV." She breathed out. She then went back to chopping up vegetables— slowly.

"Just saying." He said nonchalantly as he resumed his place back on the stool. He rested his palms on top of the counter followed by his chin oh his hands. "Hey... Pickles are grandfather cucumbers right?"

Sakura breathed out a laugh. She rested her palms on the counter and straightened her arms. "Uchiha Sasuke, what is wrong... or right? You seem to be very active today."

"I ran out of weed." He said, rocking his head side to side. "I feel... grounded. Not really heavy but grounded."

"Do you feel that it's a good thing?"

"I don't know, kind of. It makes me think."

"Then it's a good thing." Sakura smiled.

Everything was silent for a while except for some light sizzling in the background. Until Sasuke broke the silence. Ooh, someone was on a roll today.

"Are you sure your hair is natural?"

Sakura laughed and for the remaining time of the day she was left answering Sasuke's questions, most were stupid but she really didn't care.

.

.

_:::_

.

.

The next few days Sasuke was back to smoking weed though in very small amounts, as if he was practicing himself to stop; this kind of made Sakura proud. Tear.

"I wasn't able to finish college, you know." Sasuke said suddenly. Sakura was silently answering a Sudoku puzzle when Sasuke spoke. She remained silent waiting for him to go on.

Sasuke put the cigarette to his lips and inhaled. "I was a graduating student when the accident happened." He said as the smoke escaped his nose and mouth as he spoke. "Now my friends have stable jobs and have a future to think of. While I'm here, basking in self-pity."

"Well, you could always get back up again, it's not that hard."

Sasuke scoffed. "I can't. I want to, but I _can't_. My fucking impulses won't let me go."

"They won't let go, or _you_ won't let go?"

He was then silenced as he reflected on Sakuras' words. He didn't want to admit it, but it was true. Ever since he smoked his first pot, inhaled his first cigarette, he knew; he was hooked. If a saner Sasuke took those first breaths he wouldn't have been reduced to this, but then with the way time flowed a depressed and troubled Sasuke took those first steps and brought him down into corruption.

Then his thoughts were cut short when a sudden coughing coming from his female companion arose. He looked to her and saw that she was huddled over in her seat coughing like there was no tomorrow and gasping like some fish. He really didn't know what to do, so he was glued in his seat— staring in shock. Suddenly, she had keeled over and fell to the floor— unconscious.

"Shit."

* * *

><p><strong>SPn:** Tell me what you think! :)

Reviews make people write. :)


	5. TV Is Bad

**SP/n:** It's like 10 reviews each chapter. Kinda funny.

I apologize for any wrong:  
><strong>spellings,<strong>  
><span>punctuations,<span>  
><em>and sense. :D<em>

**d i s c l a i me r :**  
>SprayPaintzz, doesn't own Naruto,<br>nor its' characters.  
>Thankyou. :)<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Hands Up High<strong>

.

.

_:::_

.

.

**Chapter FIVE**

* * *

><p><em>Recap:<em>

_Then his thoughts were cut short when a sudden coughing coming from his female companion arose. He looked to her and saw that she was huddled over in her seat coughing like there was no tomorrow and gasping like some fish. He really didn't know what to do, so he was glued in his seat— staring in shock. Suddenly, she had keeled over and fell to the floor— unconscious._

"_Shit."_

.

.

_:::_

.

.

Sasuke was seated by the window of Sakura's hospital room where she lay asleep. He called 911 as soon as he was positive that Sakura wasn't breathing anymore. The doctors told him that she had a mild asthma attack and that it was nothing to be worried about. _If that was mild, I don't want to stick around for the worst. _The doctors told him that she should stay away from things that could trigger her asthma to act up again. In short— leave his house.

Sakura stirred. Immediately Sasuke spoke. "You didn't say you had asthma."

Sakura coughed a bit as she slowly sat up. "It's not really important."

"Yeah, not important, when my house was a fucking graveyard for you." Sasuke seethed.

"I don't mind it really. It bothered me at first, but I got used to it."

"Yeah, you got so used to it that you just had to have a mild asthma attack." Sasuke said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "That wasn't mild."

Sakura just sat there silent.

"I guess I was a _bit_ worried, since I didn't really know what to do." Sasuke said, stretching out the _bit_ for emphasis. "A bit."

"That means you have feelings!"

Sasuke stared blankly at her. "I hope this doesn't end up like what people expect it to." He said.

Sakura stared questioningly, eyebrows slightly furrowed. "What are you talking about?"

"Like you know, when the girl suddenly ends up in the hospital and admits that she has some rare incurable disease and then the guy suddenly confesses that he actually cares for her and that he was just acting all cool and stoic to hide how he really felt for the girl."

Sakura stared.

"And then they have hot sex." Sasuke finished.

Sakura laughed. "Seriously, stop watching TV!"

.

.

_:::_

.

.

That night Sasuke arrived at his house alone. He _kindofmaybesortof_ offered to send Sakura home, but she insisted that she was fine, with her trusty inhaler by her side. So to not look like a complete idiot and retain some of his dignity left he shrugged carelessly and stalked off toward his house.

As he stepped in his house (still not locked) he stood by the doorway and looked at his house, not just giving a once over but actually _look_ at his house. Minus the living room, where it looked like someone died in there, the rest of his house looked... home-y.

He _kindofmaybesortof_ felt sad that the home his mother worked hard to build has become a house. Just a stupid house, with a stupid little boy who just sat there feeling sorry for himself.

Man did his life suck.

And it took a stupid little fourteen year old pink-headed intruder for him to realize it.

He made his way over the couch-slash-bed and stared at the many cigarette butts, soot and empty liquor bottles scattered about. He found a plastic bag, probably from one of his very few visits to the store or a bag from his weed collection, either which one thing was for certain as soon as he got hold of his ashtray he tilted all the contents of it in the bag.

After all, he didn't want his female companion to die of asthma, that's just sad.

.

.

_:::_

.

.

"Wow," Sakura breathed out as she arrived at the Uchiha's house. She scanned the living room and found it spotless, like really spotless. It kind of put her cleaning prowess to shame. Kind of degrading for a girl. "You cleaned! Oh my God, it's super clean." She ran a finger over the coffee table and felt nothing gritty.

The Uchiha merely grunted and dropped on the now flawless couch. But deep inside he _kindofmaybesortof_ felt smug about it. _Heh._

"Aww, you cleaned for me right? Little Sasuke worried 'bout lil' 'ol me." Sakura cooed, sitting next to the Uchiha. Okay, smugness gone.

Sasuke glared at her when she had settled herself on _his_ couch. "You're still not allowed to sit here."

Sakura smiled, not feeling as offended as the first time Sasuke said that to her. She moved to the single couch, still smiling at him. "Shy."

"Whatever." Sasuke said, turning on the TV as he channel surfed.

.

.

.

.

"Hey, do you wanna go out?"

Sasuke turned to his female companion and pointed to himself.

"Of course you, who else?" Sakura chuckled.

"Are you asking me out on a _date_?" Sasuke said, spatting out the last word with disgust.

Sakura immediately shook her head viciously. "Oh God, no! I mean go out, like out." She said, pointing to the door. "Outside!"

"No."

"Please."

"No."

"We can have lunch outside."

"Sounds like a date."

"It's not a date, you idiot. Just lunch between friends."

"We're not friends."

"Fine, a get-to-know-you lunch."

"No."

"Please."

"No."

"Please."

"No."

"Pleeeeeeeeaassssssse."

"Some other day, okay?" Sasuke said exasperatedly, rubbing his temples.

"Let's just step outside, like ten minutes, just sit on your porch and, I don't know, look at... stuff." Sakura said in desperation.

Sasuke chuckled lightly. "Stuff?" He mocked. "Is that the best thing you could think of?" He looked at her and saw that she had her cheeks puffed out and her lips pouted. _Wow, real mature move right there, Sakura._

"Fine, five minutes." Sasuke said, standing up like some old man with his palms on his knees as he pushed himself off of the couch. Sakura literally sprung up from her seat and skipped toward the door. _Annoying._

Sakura sat down on the porch and patted the space next to her. "C'mon, sit." Sasuke sighed and sat heavily. Then... nothing. Nothing happened. Of course, what would you expect from sitting on a porch at 12 noon. Maybe heat stroke.

Uchiha Sasuke lived in a rich subdivision eight minutes away from the busy city of Tokyo. Most of the houses looked the same, they were big, white and big. It was peaceful in his subdivision and that's what he liked most about it, but then it was boring. Secretly, he wished that someone would get robbed or raped or something for a change, but then that was a terrible thought.

"Sooo, what happens around here?" Sakura asked.

"Nothing."

"That's boring."

"Hn."

Abruptly, Sakura stood up. "Let's take a walk."

"Our deal was five minutes on this fucking porch." Sasuke seethed.

"I didn't really agree to it, so it's not really a deal." Sakura said, sticking her tongue out. She grabbed his arm and tugged him up. "Up, up, up Mr. grumpy pants."

Sasuke glared at her and shook his arm away. He proceeded to get inside the house when Sakura got a hold of his arm again. "Get off, you little brat." He said, shaking his arm but to no avail as Sakura had a firm grip on him.

"We haven't really had lunch, so why don't we go look for something to eat, okay?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at her. "You planned this all didn't you?"

"Hmm, not really." She smiled and backed up towards the gate.

Sasuke gave a huff and followed along. "If I refuse, you're not gonna shut up about it right?" He asked, as Sakura opened the gate and led him out of it before releasing her grip on his poor, thin arm. Sakura just gave a smile as her answer.

.

.

_:::_

.

.

Sasuke huffed with his elbow rested on the table and his cheek on an open palm. He watched blankly as Sakura ordered something from the food place they were at. It was a quaint place, a few people here and there. He wondered when this place had arrived in his subdivision, but then he wouldn't really know when since he never really got out of his house.

How she managed to convince him to eat at this... place was beyond him. He watched Sakura in utter and complete boredom as he waited. The girl was wearing her ugly clothes still. _Ugh._ She had pink hair, she was short, she stood up only to his shoulder, yet had really long legs. He still questioned whether or not she was really a twenty-four year old lady who had even interned in one of his father's companies. 'Cause for him, she looked like a high school student with her height and the way she just carried herself.

Sakura made her way over to her and Sasuke's table with an ice cream in hand.

Scratch that, he meant a _grade school student_.

"They said they'll just bring the food over." She said as she happily ate her ice cream. "Did you know that they had sweet potato flavoured ice cream? It's wicked!" She said, pointing to her ice cream.

Sasuke raised a brow at her. "That's like an old Asian flavour, you should know that."

"Oh, I'm not really from here." Sakura said offly as her ice cream dripped like crazy.

Sasuke straightened up. "Please don't tell me you're some kind of angel that was sent here to help me realize how shitty my life is then make it all better. Then suddenly you fall in love with me and ask your higher up to change you into a mortal so we can make babies, 'cause angels can't really have babies."

Sakura stifled a laugh. "Where do you get that shit?"

"TV."

A tray had settled itself on their table as Sakura gave a small thank you to the person who sent it. "No Sasuke, I'm not an angel. I'm perfectly capable of making babies." She laughed, pushing Sasuke's food, tomato-seared porkchops, toward him.

"So, Hell?"

"No! I'm from Switzerland!" Sakura laughed even more.

"I would totally believe you if you said you were from Hell." Sasuke stated, carefully cutting the hot meal in front of him, slightly his hand shook.

"Ha-ha. Funny, hope you choke on your tomatoes."

"See?"

.

.

_:::_

.

.

It was about 1:13PM when Sakura and Sasuke left the food place. They were walking back to Sasuke's house with Sakura carrying a plastic take-out bag from that food place for Sasuke's dinner later.

"So this is your third time in Japan?" Sasuke asked.

"Yeah, the first two trips were when I was a kid so I don't really remember anything."

"How did you find out where I live?" Sasuke eyed her critically, she might have been some stalker.

As if reading his mind "Don't worry, I didn't stalk you or anything. Your mom gave me directions long ago, she really wanted me to visit, it's just sad that it took me this long to visit."

"So how can you speak Japanese so fluently?"

"Mom and Dad are Japanese."

"Hn."

"So, we're here." Sakura said as they stood outside Sasuke's gate. "You have your dinner in here." She handed over the plastic bag. "I'm guessing you know how to use a microwave." Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "I guess I should go then."

"Do you want me to send you home or something?" Sasuke said so softly that Sakura almost didn't hear it.

"Pardon?"

"Forget—"

"Do you want to send me home?" Sakura smiled.

"It's okay I guess, I don't really have anything to do." Sasuke said, avoiding Sakura by looking at basically everything.

Sakura smiled a truly heart-breaking smile which Sasuke was, unfortunately, able to see. _Damn it._

"Okay."

.

.

_:::_

.

.

"Sakura."

"Hm?"

"You live here?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"...Nothing."

Suddenly, Sasuke felt like shit.

And not the good kind.

* * *

><p><strong>SPn:** Not totally contented. BOO.

-I had girl problems last week. Meh.

Tell me what you think! :)


	6. Not Abs

**SP/n:** I like bumming peoples' expectations. So fun.

I apologize for any wrong:  
><strong>spellings,<strong>  
><span>punctuations,<span>  
><em>and sense. :D<em>

**d i s c l a i me r :**  
>SprayPaintzz, doesn't own Naruto,<br>nor its' characters.  
>Thankyou. :)<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Hands Up High<strong>

.

.

_:::_

.

.

**Chapter SIX**

* * *

><p><em>Recap:<em>

"_Sakura."_

"_Hm?"_

"_You live here?"_

"_Yeah. Why?"_

"_...Nothing."_

_Suddenly, Sasuke felt like shit._

_And not the good kind._

.

.

_:::_

.

.

"What did you say your dad worked as at my dad's company?" Sasuke asked.

"Executive President of the Switzerland branch." Sakura said from her kitchen.

"Oh."

...

Sasuke could only stare at the insides of Sakura's 'home'. Well, it wasn't really a home but a three-storey penthouse suite. It had this whole minimalist feel to it (though it didn't really look minimal), but we all know that minimalism doesn't cost so minimal.

Everything was either abstract or just had a weird shape. Like in those fancy living magazines where there were holes in your coffee table, yeah, Sakura had that. Sasuke slowly took his seat on the couch, which apparently looked as if some huge ass monster took a bite off it.

_Even her house is weird._

He then questioned why Sakura even bothered to wear those horridiously unflattering clothes when she could afford better. Then he thought, maybe she was down to earth or just had bad fashion sense. _Either._

"I brought you some coffee, though I don't know if you drink coffee." Sakura said, placing a mug in front of Sasuke on the holed coffee table, with a coaster of course.

At least her mug was okay, maybe. There was a little moustache that was drawn near the rim.

"You have weird taste in furniture." Sasuke said.

"Thank you." Sakura smiled.

"I was actually insulting you."

"You're just jealous your mug doesn't have a moustache."

Sasuke looked at the mug and stared at it for a few seconds with a cocked head before a smirk made its' way to his lips. "Yeah, I'm kind of fond of the moustache."

"Hey, I noticed something." Sakura started.

"What?"

"You didn't smoke the whole day or even drink something alcoholic."

Sasuke stared at his quivering hand and clenched it. "Yeah, my hand has been itching the whole time." He muttered. "I thought about what you said, and I want to let my vices go." He said, louder this time.

"Oh my God, you won't believe how proud I am right now. I'm feeling a little tear right here." Sakura said happily, Sasuke glared. "But if you want to stop, don't just abruptly do so."

"I'm helpless."

"There you go with self-pity again! We are not going through this again. Don't be so dramatic." Sakura cried, slapping a hard hand on Sasuke's shoulder.

"But I'll help you get better whether you like it or not." Sakura said, sitting next to Sasuke. "And you cannot tell me I am not allowed to sit here because this is my couch, mister." She said as she felt Sasuke's glare.

Sasuke stared at her and whispered. "This isn't the part where we have sex, right? 'Cause I don't really like you in that way."

Sakura laughed, slapped his knee and stood up. "Don't worry your pretty little face, I don't like you in that way too."

.

.

_:::_

.

.

"Good Morning, Sunshine!" Sakura piped up, holding a bag of groceries to her face. "I brought foodies!"

Sasuke had a on a bored expression in his face with a cigarette in between his lips. "So loud." He mumbled.

"Let's eat lunch outside again, I found this place that would certainly make you fat in no time." She said.

Sasuke merely grunted.

Sakura went to the kitchen to put away the groceries and went back to her usual single couch where plopped down horizontally, her legs swinging over the arm rest. She took out a Sudoku puzzle book, her third one, and began answering. She shifted in her seat so that she was sitting upside down, her legs were over the back rest while her head hung over the edge.

For the first time since Sakura has been in his house, Sasuke glanced at Sakura, since the whole time he'd just watch TV and not even spare a little curiosity to look at what Sakura was up to. So when he glanced, he had to do a double take then stare. Her (super unflattering and hideous) shirt had revealed Sakura's stomach, he'd expect it to be like a normal stomach, flat and smooth since she is a girl, but what he saw shocked him.

"Sakura..."

"Yeah?" Sakura looked up at him and wondered what he was staring at, she then followed his gaze and found that he was staring at her stomach. Immediately, she sat up and pulled down her shirt to cover her exposed waist, her puzzle book and pen fell to the ground.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry about that." Sakura said, blushing.

"You have..."

"I know, I know. It was a stupid mistake when I was in high school and I probably look like a thug or some sort." Sakura blabbed.

"How did that happen?"

"A stupid, stupid dare."

"No exercise?"

Sakura stared incredulously. "Exer—? What— What does exercise have anything to do with my belly ring?"

"You have a belly ring?"

Sakura spaced out and cautiously looked around the room. "We weren't talking about my belly ring?"

"No, I was talking about your abs."

"Oh, abs." Sakura unconsciously patted her stomach. "What about them?"

"You have abs."

Sakura nodded slowly. "Yes, Sasuke. I know that. Aren't abs normal?"

"Well, yeah. But you're a girl." Sakura glared at this. "They're so, so... They're nice?"

"Are you complimenting me? 'Cause I think you're complimenting me." Sakura stifled a laugh. "So, thank you." She continued. "When I was a kid I was really thin, like stick thin, even thinner than you. And my parents thought it was unhealthy so they gave me a trainer and sent me to the gym. Nice birthday gift for a twelve year-old, huh?" She ended sarcastically.

"So you had that since?"

"Yeah, it scares some, but I'm good."

"And what was this, and I quote, stupid, stupid dare that you had to do, which you obviously didn't, that got you that belly ring?" Sasuke asked.

Sakura laughed uncomfortably. "You know, normal girl dare, confess to your crush what you felt and shit; but I didn't 'cause I'm not that type of girl, so yeah, this happened." She said, pointing to her clothed belly button.

"Hn." Sasuke said, turning his attention back to the TV, yet the only thing he could think of were the tout abs that Sakura had unconsciously shown. And he _kindofmaybesortof_ felt insecure about his own or lack thereof.

.

.

_:::_

.

.

Sasuke and Sakura decided to have pizza delivered for lunch since Sasuke was too much of a couch potato to even move, much less go out for lunch. So they sat in the living room, watching X-Men movies.

"I am totally in love with Ian McKellen." Sakura said, when Magneto came into the screen. "He's so _hot_."

Sasuke scowled in disgust. "But he's like a hundred years old, and he's the bad guy."

"_Seventy-two_, Sasuke." This made Sasuke roll his eyes. Sakura took another slice from the pizza box, her third one now. "I like older men and bad boys are sexy." She winked to add a little effect, but then laughed it off.

"You do know he's gay right?"

"That makes him even more sexy!" Sakura said, laughing. Sasuke shook his head in amusement. "Well, what about you, Mister potato? Who do _you_ like? In X-Men of course."

"Rebecca Romijn. Total MILF."

Sakura threw a pillow in his direction. "That's nasty Sasuke!"

"Oh please. You're totally thinking the same." Sasuke said, blocking the pillow with his arm in order to protect his pizza slice in his other hand. When Sakura didn't reply he threw the pillow back at her. "You're nastier."

_KNOCK! KNOCK!_

"I'll get it." Sakura said, making her way towards the door but not before give Sasuke a painful smack on the head, to which he tried to reach and smack her back. Unfortunately, failing. "You suck!" Sakura said, laughing when Sasuke wasn't able to get his revenge.

Sakura opened the door, still smiling. "Yes?"

"Who the hell are _you_?"

That wiped the smile off her face.

* * *

><p><strong>SPn:** Still not fully contented, but meh.

I'm actually working on a few stories so I'm juggling what I should prioritize. BAH.

Tell me what you think! :)


	7. Trouble Isn't So Bad

**SP/n:** Damn it, you people are starting to predict what I'm going to write next.

I apologize for any wrong:  
><strong>spellings,<strong>  
><span>punctuations,<span>  
><em>and sense. :D<em>

**d i s c l a i me r :**  
>SprayPaintzz, doesn't own Naruto,<br>nor its' characters.  
>Thankyou. :)<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Hands Up High<strong>

.

.

_:::_

.

.

**Chapter SE7EN**

* * *

><p><em>Recap:<em>

_Sakura opened the door, still smiling. "Yes?"_

"_Who the hell are you?"_

_That wiped the smile off her face._

.

.

_:::_

.

.

"Who the hell are _you_?"

Sakura looked offended and stared in shock. "Um, I-I'm sorry? I'm Haruno Sakura." She held out the hand that was not holding the pizza. "Who are you?"

The 'guest' pushed pass Sakura and angrily looked around until he found the owner of the house. He reeled his arm back and gave a hard smack to his head. Sasuke let out a cry of anger and turned to meet his attacker.

"What the he—! Naruto?"

"Oh, so you remember me?" Naruto said in fake shock with a hand on his chest. "'Cause, you know, I'd totally understand how you'd forget a _friend_ after ditching them for two years, ignoring their calls and stuff." He jabbed a finger at Sakura's direction who still stood glued by the door. "That's who you're replacing your _best friend _with?" He gave a sneer at Sakura's direction. "Nice taste."

"Naruto, chill the fuck out." Sasuke said, pizza still in hand. "What is your problem?"

The blonde glared before punching the heck out of his raven-haired friend. "No, dude. What is _your_ problem?"

Sasuke staggered back which earned a little shriek from Sakura who was still too in shock and in fear to interfere with the two men. "Are you kidding me?" Sasuke said with a smirk. He tossed the pizza back in the box before returning the favour to Naruto who fell back with a cry.

"Bring it."

.

.

_:::_

.

.

Sakura sighed when Sasuke winced when she pressed an ice pack to his cheek.

The house was in a complete wreck when Naruto and Sasuke decided to just break everything in sight. It was pretty cool to watch since they like threw each other across the room which looked like they were flying and got blood on everthing like painting with red paint. Yeah— NOT.

Sakura sat in front of Naruto offering him an ice pack, he ungratefully snatched it out of her hand.

"We weren't properly introduced. I'm Haruno Sakura." Sakura held her hand out with a smile on her face, though it did seem forced.

Naruto didn't accept it and just glared at the female. "Are you a freak? 'Cau—"

"Naruto." Sasuke said, stopping his blonde friend from saying anything more. "Just leave her out of this."

"Oh, like what you did to me and your other friends?" He jerked his head in Sakura's direction. "And who's this? Your girlfriend you didn't tell about? Oh right, you don't tell me anything anymore." He ended with a glare directed at Sasuke.

"She's not my girlfriend." Sasuke muttered. "She's a friend of my mom."

"And how long have you known her?"

"...Three months? I guess."

"Three months? That's just peachy. Replace your childhood friends with a friend of your mother who you just met three months ago. That's just... wonderful."

"Naruto, just shut up, I'm still... I'm trying to change. Give me some time to sort things out."

Naruto scoffed and stood up. "I was just there, Sasuke. Waiting for a call or text from you. 'Cause you never accepted any help. Then the first time I see you in two years, I see this complete stranger with pink-hair in your house having pizza and watching TV with you." He then dropped the ice pack on the coffee table and walked towards the door. "I was with you during your toughest year... where was she?"

"I'll just show myself out. 'Cause I'm pretty familiar with the door you kicked me a million times out of." Then a slam.

Sakura took Naruto's ice pack and pressed it onto Sasuke's bruised and bleeding knuckles. She looked up when she heard Sasuke whisper her name.

"I want to smoke." Sasuke whispered as if he was holding back tears.

Sakura couldn't hide the disappointment in her face when she heard that. She got up and said. "I'll buy some bandages."

When Sakura was out, Sasuke started searching the mess for his cigarette carton. He found it crushed and a little crumpled under the couch. He opened it and took a stick out. He held the stick between his thumb and index finger and stared at it. He debated for a while before roughly throwing it on the ground along with its' box, he flopped back on the couch muttering some curses.

Damn his life was messed up.

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_:::_

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.

The next day when Sakura arrived at Sasuke's, she found that he was in the kitchen re-dressing his wounds from yesterday, she walked up and took over his poorly done job. It was silent for a while before Sasuke broke through it.

"W-Were you offended by what Naruto said yesterday?"

Sakura padded a cotton filled with antiseptic on his knuckles. "A bit, but I kinda sympathize with him. It must've hurt him to have felt like he lost his best friend." She looked up at his face, grabbed his chin and shifted his head side-to-side to check on his wounds.

Sasuke held his breath when he met Sakura's eyes and noticed that she had thinly lined her eyes with black which made it really pop and appear like Bugsy from Bedtime Stories. He looked down at her face, avoiding those large green eyes as Sakura tended to his face wounds.

"Naruto called me last night." He whispered.

"Mm-hmm?"

"It's his birthday next week, and he invited me to go."

"That's good. You should go, reunite with your friends."

"...He said you could come too."

At this Sakura's eyes widened (Sasuke didn't think they could get any bigger). She locked eyes with Sasuke in shock. "I don't think that's a good idea. I-I mean, he hates me."

"No, you should go." Sasuke said, still in a hushed tone. He felt his eyes widening every second the longer he looked at hers.

"Why are you whispering?" Sakura asked, imitating his whisper.

"I haven't brushed my teeth yet." He whispered which earned a hard shove and a laugh from Sakura.

.

.

_:::_

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.

"Teme!" Naruto exclaimed in happiness when he saw his friend at his doorstep, clean and not high. But then his mood soured when he saw an elf beside Sasuke. "Wow, you're here too, glad you could come." He said in fake enthusiasm and went back in the house, leaving the door open.

Fortunately, Sakura had ditched her too-large-for-her clothes and decided on wearing a yellow sundress. In October.

"Is everyone here like you?" Sakura whispered to Sasuke.

"What do you mean?"

"Like you. Rude, unaccommodating, and excuse my French, assholes."

Sasuke couldn't help but give a little snicker. "No." Then the sight of a blonde female came bounding towards them. "They're worse." He chuckled when he saw panic in Sakura's eyes.

"Aww, Sasuke, you never told me you had a child." Said the female who eyed Sakura up and down a grimace on her face. "How old are you? Two?" Sakura raised a brow.

"Um, Ino, she isn't really from here. Maybe a little hospitality?" Sasuke said.

The blonde, Ino, placed a hand on her chest in worry. "Oh, I'm so sorry, where are my manners?" She turned to Sakura. "Mucho gusto, my name Ino. You no habla Japanese? Um, Ugly Betty mi paborito!" She spoke as if she was talking to a one year old.

Sakura shifted her eyes toward Sasuke then back at the blonde fool in front of her. "I'm not Spanish."

Ino sighed exasperatedly. "Oh good, you speak Japanese. That was all the Spanish I had. I thought you were like some spy from some third world country." She wound an arm around the petite girl. "Let's talk. So, I heard you're like, whoring off of the Uchiha fortune or something. Smart move girly, I don't know why I didn't think of that!" She said leading Sakura inside the house who looked back at Sasuke with pleading eyes.

Sasuke held in a little chuckle before closing the door.

.

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_:::_

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.

"Ooh, someone's out of their batcave. Tell me, does it burn when the sun touches you or do you sparkle?" Kiba snickered, Sasuke's dog-ish like friend.

"I'd drink your blood, but I'm not that desperate, mutt." Sasuke seethed, plopping down next to Shikamaru on the couch.

"'Sup." Shikamaru greeted as he offered a rolled-up joint.

Sasuke couldn't believe it. It's as if nothing happened. As if he didn't abandon his friends to wallow in his own self-pity. As if three years of neglect didn't happen. And here he thought that no one bothered to care. He even considered ending his own life, but that was before a certain little imp decided to barge into his life.

Then he looked down at the rolled up paper in Shikamaru's hands. His hands were shaking and itching to grab it, then he remembered when Sakura had an asthma attack; it was horrible, more for her than him. With a big huff he pushed Shikamaru's hand away, declining the (tempting) offer.

"I'm trying to quit." He said uneasily. "And could you do me a favour Shikamaru?"

"Mm?"

"Can you not smoke anywhere near Sakura, she has asthma."

Kiba and Shikamaru exchanged looks and turned back to Sasuke. "Pansy." They said in unison.

"Sakura? That's the name of the pink-headed midget?" Kiba asked, jabbing his thumb in the direction of the girl, who, unfortunately, was still in the clutches of Ino. "Are you like her dad or something? I kinda thought you were messing around with her, but now... Pffft."

Naruto joined in their conversation when he sat by them on a beanie chair— Orange, of course. "I still don't trust that _thing_."

Sasuke glared at the birthday boy. "Do you want me to punch you again? I don't care if it's your birthday."

Naruto turned to Shikamaru and Kiba and pointed a finger at Sasuke. "See? She's brainwashing him! Can you believe the shit coming from his mouth?" He turned to Sasuke. "She's not good for you, teme." He grabbed Sasuke's arm and held it up. "See? You're like skin and bones! Before her, you were like The David."

Kiba and Shikamaru made a face at his comparison.

"This, was before I even knew her." Sasuke yanked his arm away. "I kinda let myself rot after _their_ deaths."

"How are you doing by the way?" Naruto asked solemnly.

Sasuke sighed. "Less and less like shit. Sakura's been helping."

Naruto made a face. "Teme, do you _like_ her?"

"Like-like her? No—"

"'Cause I don't approve."

"...I don't, Naruto."

A knock on the door made Naruto jolt up. "That must be Hinata. Dinner is here!" He shouted as he made his way toward the door.

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_:::_

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.

"So, are you guys dating?"

"How many times does that question have to come up?" Sakura muttered in annoyance.

"No, we're not." Sasuke answered taking a spoon of his meal.

"Boo, it's like there's this invisible cockblock between you two." Ino said. "Are you sure you're not dating? 'Cause it'd be dangerous if they caught you dating a minor, Sasuke."

Sakura choked but quickly recovered when she answered. "I'm actually turning twenty-five."

Kiba whistled. "Ooh, Sasuke's into cougars now. That's hot bro, that's hot." He said, giving Sasuke a mischievous wink. "Where do you usually do it? Your place or his?" Kiba asked.

"Kiba." Sasuke warned.

Sakura thought since she wasn't going anywhere with these people if she continued to be all nice, so she decided to just go with the flow and play their game. _Let's see who's playing who._

"Oh, I'm not from here, so I guess his place." Sakura answered nonchalantly, forking a piece of meat.

They all stared at her sudden 'confession', even Sasuke.

"A foreign cougar! Nice score, Uchiha!" Kiba cheered, raising a hand for a high five but quickly lowered it when Sasuke glared.

"So, where are you from Sakura?" Hinata asked.

"I'm from Switzerland."

"Oh! Are the mountains made of chocolate?"

They all stared at Ino's sudden outburst.

"Oh wait, that's in the Philippines, sorry, I get confused sometimes, they have a lot of 'S' sounding letters." Though Ino may act like a total idiot sometimes, she isn't. Most of the time she just acts like an empty-headed bimbo for fun. It's like make yourself an idiot to make others look like bigger idiots.

Sakura giggled. "I like you, Ino."

Sasuke stiffened and stared wide-eyed at Sakura.

"Are you going lesbo on me?" Ino asked, and fortunately so, since Sasuke was wondering the same thing.

Sakura gave a sexy smirk and replied. "I might."

The whole table froze.

Then Sakura and Ino laughed.

Wiping an invisible superficial tear from her eye, Ino said. "For some freaky little Smurf, you're alright, Sakura."

"Smurfs are blue..." Kiba muttered.

"Your balls will be too once I stick them in the freezer." Ino growled.

"Cut 'em off first." Sakura suggested.

Kiba paled.

Ino laughed. "Where have you been all my life?"

.

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_:::_

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.

"You've been quiet. Be happy, it's your birthday." Hinata said.

Naruto rested his cheek on his palm with a huff. "I don't like that girl."

Hinata giggled. "Well, you did invite her."

"I did that out of courtesy! I didn't think Sasuke would actually bring her." He cried, peering over to where his new found enemy was. Chatting happily with Ino and even Kiba and Shikamaru! How dare they? Traitors. He didn't understand why people liked her so much, especially Sasuke. "Neji and Tenten aren't even here." He mumbled.

"You know how demanding their work is." Hinata said. "And regarding Sakura, I have a little theory."

"What?"

"You're jealous." Hinata said, smiling. "You're jealous since you're best friend doesn't contact you for two years and found another friend that he would much rather spend his time with rather than with you. Plus, she's a girl. And that's just a big blow to your male ego."

Naruto glared. "Not true."

Hinata raised a delicate brow.

"O-Okay, maybe. Well, how would you feel if someone stole Ino or Tenten away from you?"

"Ecstatic, actually." Hinata muttered. "But haven't you ever given it a thought that Sakura may actually be good for Sasuke? He feels like she's helping him."

Naruto looked back at Sasuke. Straight posture, no bloodshot eyes, no one was running away from his bad breath. Plus, he wasn't even scowling or had that distant killer look in his eyes. He turned back to Hinata. "She's worse than I thought! He's a totally different person!"

The purple-haired girlfriend placed a gentle hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Give her a chance. You were the one who always believed in second chances." She stood up. "Anybody want dessert?" She asked and immediately Kiba and Ino's hands shot up.

_._

_._

_:::_

_._

_._

"Thank you for inviting me, I'm sorry if I was intruding in any way." Sakura smiled apologetically to Hinata as they shook hands.

"Oh no, it's perfectly okay. Naruto's just a little jealous since someone else is stealing Sasuke's attention." She giggled. Sakura stared at her in awe. _She's so motherly._ It made her wonder how she and Naruto were even a couple.

Sakura teared up a little and had the urge to hug Hinata. "You're the first nice person I met."

"You know I would love to stay, Naruto, but work wants me at 6 tomorrow. And I need my beauty sleep." Kiba said, slapping a hand on Naruto's back. "And I think Akamaru's getting angsty at home, he's probably starving by now."

"Yeah, yeah. You owe me a drink. My shift ends at four, so I better see your butt at the pub." Naruto said sheepishly.

Sasuke could only listen in envy as his friends talked about work in all its' glory and majesty (not really) and thought about when his time would come when he would have the same problems. Sure he could have immediately inherited the CEO position in the Uchiha Corporation, but then where's the challenge in that? He didn't want things to just be given to him (even though it mostly was), he wanted to work for it.

But he's still short on a college diploma for that.

"I'll see you around, okay you bastard?" Naruto said, interrupting Sasuke from his thoughts. "And please, please, _please_, start answering your phone again. I'm letting you know now that you're starting to accept people into your life again, we're not gonna stop annoying the heck out of you. Got that? Or I might hit you again."

Sasuke chuckled. "Yeah."

"And if that Sakura gives you any trouble—"

"It's okay, Naruto." He glanced at his pink-headed female friend who was talking animatedly with Naruto's girlfriend. _It's impossible for anyone not to like her_. It's like she has this power that just draws you into her little world of rainbows and unicorns where everything is just pooping happy.

"She's the good kind of trouble."

* * *

><p><strong>SPn:** No cliffie, no predictions. HA! Loljk. :)

Tell me what you think! :)


	8. Drama Is More Fun On TV

**SP/n: **WEE~ I like updating when it's almost school time. :))

I apologize for any wrong:  
><strong>spellings,<strong>  
><span>punctuations,<span>  
><em>and sense. :D<em>

**d i s c l a i me r :**  
>SprayPaintzz, doesn't own Naruto,<br>nor its' characters.  
>Thankyou. :)<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Hands Up High<strong>

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_:::_

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**Chapter 8IGHT**

* * *

><p><em>Recap:<em>

"_And if that Sakura gives you any trouble—"_

"_It's okay, Naruto." He glanced at his pink-headed female friend who was talking animatedly with Naruto's girlfriend. It's impossible for anyone not to like her. It's like she has this power that just draws you into her little world of rainbows and unicorns where everything is just pooping happy._

"_She's the good kind of trouble."_

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_:::_

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"What are you doing here?" Sasuke grumbled, scratching his eye. "Don't you have work?"

His blonde friend entered the house and looked around. "Your house doesn't stink as much."

Sasuke shut the door and scratched his head, still drowsy. "Yeah, Sakura did that."

"It smells citrus-y and minty."

"She did that too."

"What did she _do_? Did she coat herself with perfume and roll around your house?"

Sasuke grimaced and thought about the incident with the vacuum cleaner. "Er, kinda." He looked at Naruto. "Don't you have work?" He asked again.

Naruto waved a lazy hand and plopped on Sasuke's couch-slash-bed. "I'm almost always late that they don't really care anymore. And they love me too much to fire me." At this Sasuke scoffed and sat beside Naruto.

"I've been thinking..."

"'Bout what?" Naruto asked lazily as she flipped through the channels.

"The future."

Naruto's eyes widened, he turned to Sasuke with his face completely masked with fear. "Oh my God, you're getting married? To Sakura? Sasuke, you're twenty-three! That's too young— Wait, you got her pregnant? YOU GOT HER PREGNANT? I thought you weren't messing around with her? I can't—"

"No, Naruto, no. I am not planning on marriage nor did I get her pregnant." Sasuke deadpanned. "I was thinking about going back to school. You know, finish my last year or two."

"Oh..." Naruto settled in his seat. "That's pretty noble of you. Are you sure about that? 'Cause you could just inherit your dad's company and shit."

"That's what Sakura said too." Naruto glared. "But I want to earn it on my own."

"You know, ever since you met that girl, all I keep hearing from your mouth is Sakura this and Sakura that. It's kind of annoying, Sasuke." Naruto said. "Do you have anything that she doesn't already know that I don't? It's like she has the first screening into your life now, and I'm supposed to be your best friend."

Sasuke stayed silent until someone entered the house. Speak of the devil.

"Good Morning, oh hey, Naruto. I didn't know you were coming" Sakura greeted.

"Wow, that's a first." Naruto said, rolling his eyes as he got up and made his way towards the door. "See you around, you bastard." He slammed the door which left Sakura in wonder.

"Is he alright?" She placed the plastic bag she was carrying on the coffee table. "Too bad he left, I brought ice cream. And, it's cookies 'n cream." She pouted.

"I'll get spoons." Sasuke said begrudgingly, pushing past Sakura toward the kitchen.

What the hell is wrong with everyone today? She bought extra chunky cookies 'n cream! It was the best tension diffuser!

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_:::_

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"Am I a bad friend?"

Sakura turned to Sasuke. "In general? Or to specifically who?"

"Naruto."

"Well, you ditch him for two years and hid away in your house." Sasuke twitched. "You didn't even bother to give a call or text." Twitch. "You don't even answer his calls." Twitch. Twitch. "Then a maybe? I guess."

Sasuke had a straight face on as he turned to Sakura. "Gee, thanks Sakura, you just made me feel a lot better. Glad to know I'm an asshole of a friend."

Sakura laughed. "You asked!"

"I didn't think that you'd actually say it!" Sasuke cried.

"Oh, Sasuke, Sasuke, I thought you would've known by now that I am agonizingly honest."

"Yeah, agonizing." Sasuke muttered. "If Naruto didn't hate you now, I swear you two would get along splendidly. He's usually the one that automatically clicks with people, but with you..."

"I don't mind. You were way worse when we first met. I wanted to call Interpol and say I was being manhandled by a strange Japanese man." Sakura said. "But now, I get to sit on the couch which you numerously threw me out of and might I say, it is very comfortable."

"Are we going to talk about what happened on Naruto's birthday?" Sasuke asked uncomfortably.

"No." Sakura answered a little too quickly. "Um, no. I don't want to talk about it." She said slowly.

"'Cause I'm really curious why—"

"No."

"When all I—"

"Shut up, Sasuke. Just shut up." Sakura said.

Sasuke chuckled as he placed his arm on the couch behind Sakura. He leaned towards her and whispered. "Turn-on."

Kick.

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_:::_

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.

It was the usual time that Sakura had to leave but before she did so Sasuke gave her a quick goodbye kiss on the cheek, it was shy but very cute. She left the Uchiha household with a smile as Sasuke leaned against his doorway watching her go.

He insisted a hundred million times that he would send her home but she forcefully denied the offer and even threatened to cut off his balls. Aaw, she was so threateningly sweet.

Unfortunately, someone had seen this public display of affection. As soon as Sakura was out of sight Naruto had emerged running at full speed towards the Uchiha, a fat folder in his hands.

"Temeeee!"

"What—?"

"Listen, I let Shikamaru run a little search on the identity of this Sakura person and he was able to get these. He said something about old archives, but these are all about her." The blonde raised the folder to prove his point.

Sasuke glared at his blonde friend. "What the hell is your problem? Why are you so against her being my friend?"

"A pink-headed girl who just happens to drop in after your parents' death and claims to know them then out of the goodness of her heart, decides to help you battle your obsession with drugs? Oh, and you just happen to be the only direct heir to the Uchiha fortune. Don't you think that's a little too coincidental?"

"Believe it or not, Naruto, there are still good-hearted people out there." Sasuke seethed. "She's helping me."

"Everyone wants something in return, and soon when she gets what she wants she'll be out of your life as if she never was in it in the first place." Naruto thrust the folder in Sasuke's arms. "Just read those." And he backed off, seeing as Sasuke's glare wasn't faltering. "When you feel like something's wrong, you know who to call."

And he was gone.

.

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_:::_

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.

Days had passed since Sasuke's encounter with Naruto and as he had expected nothing was out of the ordinary between his relationship with Sakura, even so it got better as it went on and he found that he _kindofsortofmaybe_ liked Sakura in all her quirkiness. Like _liked_ her.

Until one day.

She was awfully quiet today and it bothered him somehow. They were seated at his couch an arm on the couch behind her, both their legs stretched out to rest on the coffee table as they (mostly him) skipped through channels looking for something to watch.

"You're quiet today." He started.

"I've been thinking."

"About?"

"Stuff. But mostly about you."

That made him smirk.

"Like about when you go to school, how many years it would take you, how long after you graduate will you officially run the Uchiha Corporation. How you'll handle the company without experience…"

Oh, those kind of stuff.

"It'll be fine, Sakura."

"But what about now? Aren't you concerned how it's doing now since it lost its' leading man three years ago?"

Sasuke shut off the TV and looked at her. "Why are you suddenly so curious?"

"I have always been curious, I was just looking for the right time to ask you." Sakura shifted in her seat to face Sasuke. "Don't get mad, okay? But I contacted your family lawyer and—"

"You what?"

"I th—"

"You contacted my family lawyer without my consent? Don't you think you're overstepping some boundaries?"

"I know, but someone had to—"

"Someone _had_ to?" At this Sasuke couldn't help but raise his voice. "Oh, and what were planning when you thought of suddenly taking over my life?"

When a few seconds passed and Sasuke didn't speak Sakura thought it was right to talk, since the statement he made seemed as if it was ignorant for someone to answer it.

"It has been three years since your family passed and it seemed that you didn't even bother to have a meeting with your lawyer and hear what your parents wrote on their will. They might have left something in there that could help you."

"I can't believe that idiot was right." Sasuke muttered to himself running a hand through his hair. He looked at Sakura, "Okay, what do you want? You obviously don't need money since you already have a lot of that, or do you need more? Or maybe your dad sent you, go to Japan, seduce the only living heir of the Uchiha Corporation and take it over. Is that it?"

Sakura looked at him in shock. "N-No, why would you think that?"

The Uchiha narrowed his eyes. "You stuttered. I guess that's it. You're probably not contented with only the Switzerland branch, you want the whole thing."

"Sasuke, I swear, that is not what I'm after."

"So you are after something."

Sakura frowned. "Why are you twisting my words? The only thing I _want_ is you to get better and move on."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Oh please, everyone wants something in return."

"Believe it or not, Sasuke, there are still good-hearted people out there.

That sounded familiar.

Sasuke scoffed. "Out there."

Sakura continued. "Why is it so hard to believe that there are still people out there willing to go through whatever in order to help someone in need?"

"I don't _need_ help, I don't need _anything_." Sasuke seethed. "And I certainly don't need you."

This caused a pang in Sakura's heart, no, not a pang, more like gunshots by a rapid, out of control BB gun. She felt an uncontrollable stinging sensation in her nose bridge that warned her that tears were about to form.

"Sasuke, plea—"

"I can't believe I stuck up for you." He whispered every word slowly as each was laced in venom. "Get out."

Sakura looked into Sasuke's eyes, searching for something, anything that seemed that what he was saying was a lie and it was just a sad excuse to get her to cry, but nothing. All she saw was hate, so much hate.

Dejected, she stood up and made her way toward the door. She took one last look at Sasuke, who just sat there not even sparing a glance at her, she let in a hard breath once she felt tears brimming at her eyes and then she was out.

Once she was gone Sasuke took out the folder Naruto had forcefully given to him under his couch and began scanning through it.

He didn't know what to believe anymore.

* * *

><p><strong>SPn: **I read this whole story again and yeah, I kinda want to punch myself. I had lots of missing word and letters. I'm ashamed. T 3T

Tell me what you think! :)


	9. Let's Get Technical, Technical

**SP/n: **Sorry, the first part is a bit on the technical side.

* * *

><p><em>Recap:<em>

_Dejected, she stood up and made her way toward the door. She took one last look at Sasuke, who just sat there not even sparing a glance at her, she let in a hard breath once she felt tears brimming at her eyes and then she was out._

_Once she was gone Sasuke took out the folder Naruto had forcefully given to him under his couch and began reading through the articles._

_He didn't know what to believe anymore._

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_:::_

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.

There wasn't anything particularly interesting from the files Naruto handed him, it was just a bunch of papers, nothing really interesting. But then he was only scanning through them, not really reading anything. So he read the piece of paper that was on the top most of the pile and settled lazily on the couch. He cocked an eyebrow. He guessed it was probably from their Switzerland based Uchiha Company, since there were corresponding Swiss-German translations in parenthesis beside it.

_Financial Statements_

He jerked up and scrambled the papers in a flurry searching for a particular page. Coming from an unfinished business course with double majors in Finance and Economics these kinds of things piqued him, even though his memory was a little jacked up. But he was an Uchiha, so he was still kind of brilliant.

Bingo!

_Income Statement_

He didn't even bother to look at its' contents he immediately shifted his eyes to the bottom most, where everything mattered, _Net Income (after tax)_. His brows furrowed, the number shown was okay for most companies, but then the Uchiha Corporation wasn't _most_ companies, it was the biznitch, so that number was kind of low. He wondered why, so he scoured about onto more pages. After going through those, he concluded that there was something wrong, but he couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was since it could be a lot of things. They could be deliberately trying to lower their income so they could avoid tax, but that would result to them lowering it to a disgraceful amount; or their accountant could be an idiot.

Still… He then had an epiphany and wanted to slap himself silly. He forgot the most important thing. The date._ Slap. Slap. Hard SLAP! _It was dated six years ago. _Super mega slap._

As he began to scour more of the papers, slowly he was being brought to the present. He was still left with unanswered questions and furrowed brows. The latest he could find was that of three years ago and he could say that the numbers on these papers weren't that good. Okay, but not good. Since Sakura's dad was the Executive President, there must be a reason why she's in Japan.

_What do you want Haruno Sakura?_

.

.

_:::_

.

.

Days passed again and he hasn't heard anything from Sakura, nor did he even think about calling Naruto and chatting him up on the events that had occurred. It might raise the blondes' ego and award him some unwanted 'I told you so's'.

A knock on his door disturbed him from his TV. When he answered it he was angered to see the cause of all his misery. He was about to slam the door in her face when she block it with her body.

Wow, déjà vu, it was like when they first met.

"Sasuke wait."

"I won't listen to your explanations."

"I'm not here to explain." She said hurriedly as Sasuke's force on the door was crushing her.

Sasuke loosened his hold on the door yet held it still. "Why are you here?"

"I wanted to call you, but I don't have a cellphone, nor do I know your house phone number so I thought it would be best if I came here."

"Best?"

Ignoring what he said, Sakura continued. "I'm just here to warn you that your family lawyer will be here tomorrow for a meeting about your parents' will. Before... this... I kinda set up a meeting with him."

"Do you take joy in interfering in other peoples' lives?" Sasuke seethed. "Get lost."

"One more."

"Oh please, tell me what more have you decided to ruin in my life?" Sasuke sarcastically said.

"The reason why I—"

"I thought you weren't here to explain."

Sakura narrowed her eyes. "Just listen, the reason why I set things up for you is because by the end of November I'll be heading back to Switzerland, and I just wanted some reassurance that you'll be okay when I'm gone."

"You were planning on leaving in the first place? Why did you even come if you were planning on leaving." Sasuke growled.

Now that surprised her. She really was just planning a short visit in Japan, but with the events that went on it stretched to months. But really, those words that came out of Uchiha Sasuke's mouth, Sakura didn't know what to feel. "I was just going to spend Christmas and New Years' with my family, then be back here." Sakura said solemnly. "But then things turned out this way..."

"In the end I'm left alone, as usual." Sasuke seethed.

"Were you really? Or did you just assume that?"

"Shut up, I never had anyone in the first place."

"That's kind of insulting towards your friends, Sasuke." Sakura said, glaring.

"No one ever loved me." He whispered, forcing the door closed.

Sakura let go of the door and let it shut in front of her face, the impact blowing back her hair. She grazed a hand on the door and let it linger there. Then she spoke, hushed but enough for Sasuke to hear from the other side.

"Sorry I wasn't enough for the mighty Uchiha Sasuke..."

And her footsteps faded away, letting Sasuke know she was out of his life.

Maybe for a day.

Or two.

Or maybe even forever.

.

.

_:::_

.

.

And true to her word, the next day his family lawyer was at his door step, looking as what a lawyer should look like. They discussed everything related to the Uchiha business to everything that Sasuke had inherited. He was shocked that he had about twenty houses throughout Japan and number of plots of land, he didn't even want to ask what was waiting for him _beyond_ Japan.

He didn't think he was _that_ rich.

"This is your account number along with your card, since you are the only offspring left and the sole heir to the Uchiha Corporation, your brothers' share of the inheritance shall be transferred to your account." His lawyer said as he placed a gold card in front of Sasuke.

"Thanks." He muttered.

"Feel free to contact me in regards with the company your father left you, since the assistant chair has been running the business single-handedly hoping that you would someday take the responsibility off his hands."

If Sasuke didn't know better, he would've thought that this man was calling him an irresponsible jerk who's running away from his problems as other people tried to cover up the mess he left.

Maybe.

"And someone left this for you." The man handed him an envelope. "She said she didn't want to refer herself as a friend," Of course Sasuke knew he was referring to Sakura. "She said it was from your mother."

Tensing up at the mention of his mother, Sasuke stared at the envelope before setting it aside. "I'll open it at another time."

"As you wish." The suited man got up and adjusted his tie. "If that is all, I shall be taking my leave."

"Uh, yeah. Thanks."

Halfway toward the walk to the door the man turned back to Sasuke. "Please dear sir, take it easy on the young maiden, she looked genuinely concerned about you. It seemed as if she had went into some deep trouble in assisting you."

"Get out."

.

.

_:::_

.

.

The day after that Sasuke's little blonde best friend decided to pop in at his house. He would've rejoiced the fact that he no longer saw the pink-headed nuisance if it were not for Sasuke's condition. It was like he was back to what he was three years ago.

Bored out of his mind,

Dead,

And high.

Mostly high.

"Sasuke...?"

"What?"

"Are you... okay?"

A chuckle arose from the raven head's throat. He took a drag from his cancer stick and blew it above his head he watched as the smoke travel up as it slowly evaporated. He then threw the stick in the direction of the ashtray, it missed.

"You were right, Naruto. She was nothing but trouble." He seethed. "And I was so _stupid_, trying to believe what she said was true." He rolled another joint and lit it up. "I thought she actually cared." He whispered.

Naruto just stood there watching his friend go through all the turmoil again. "Sasuke..."

"I even told her I liked her."

Naruto's eyes widened. "Y-You l-like her...?"

"So stupid." Sasuke chanted.

Naruto made his way slowly to the single couch beside Sasuke's and sat on it, never taking his eyes off Sasuke, scared that if he did he might throw a bottle at him— again. Once he was settled he calmed down when Sasuke didn't even make a flinch to move, he just sat there, staring at nothing.

He was worse now than he was three years ago.

At least before Sasuke cared enough to throw people out his house and yell out obscenities, now it's like he's been drained out, lifeless even.

And it was all his fault.

Well, partially.

A piece of paper caught his eye, it was a crumpled envelope under the coffee table. Fighting against his fear, Naruto scooped it up slowly, dreading of alerting Sasuke. Once it was in his hands he turned it over and saw in neat cursive writing, 'Sasuke'. He recognized it be from Sasuke's mother since she kept sending letters to her son while he was away at college.

"This is from your mother, why didn't you open it?" Naruto said.

Without looking in his friends' direction Sasuke answered. "Why bother, she's dead, I doubt anything in there could make me feel better."

"Sasuke, what happened to you, you're... deteriorating." Naruto said, sadly.

"I worked out for her." Sasuke whispered grimly. "I even cleaned."

Naruto bit his lip. "Listen Sasuke, I was wrong; about Sakura and about everything. I was being a jealous, selfish brat who trashed his best friends' only happiness just to prove a point that wasn't even a point since it was just his jealousy-driven pride."

"I don't really care anymore, Naruto. He said this, she said another. I mean what's the point? Might as well stop talking."

"I—"

"Just get out. Let me sort things out on my own."

Naruto smoothed out the envelope in his hands before putting it on the table. He stood up, looking at his friend, who the whole time he was there didn't even spare a millisecond of a glance in his direction. He made his way toward the door and lingered there a while before leaving.

The last time Sasuke said that, three years passed.

* * *

><p><strong>SPn:** Sorry for a _super late_ update.  
>Sorry that it's a<em> super short<em> chapter.  
>Sorry if it <em>sucked.<em>  
>Just SORRY. :(<p> 


	10. Oops, I Did It Again

**SP/n:** I want to cry. You guys are too nice. :( I don't deserve your kind reviews! As a token of my appreciation. :)

Here's a _long **update**_ (long for me) you negative bunny, you know who you are.

* * *

><p><em>Recap:<em>

"_Just get out. Let me sort things out on my own."_

_Naruto smoothed out the envelope in his hands before putting it on the table. He stood up, looking at his friend, who the whole time he was there didn't even spare a millisecond of a glance in his direction. He made his way toward the door and lingered there a while before leaving._

_The last time Sasuke said that, three years passed._

.

.

_:::_

.

.

In a flurry of panic Naruto hurriedly called up his friends to discuss the Sasuke issue. Unfortunately, Neji and TenTen aren't present once again and Kiba was catching up on sleep (Hmph, some friend). So the only people there were Ino, Shikamaru and Hinata.

"Sasuke needs help."

"Doesn't he always?" Shikamaru muttered.

"What about Sakura?" Ino asked.

Naruto made a face which had Ino wondering whether he meant I'm-so-guilty-this-is-all-my-fault-please-don't-kill-me or I-just-ate-a-wonderful-serving-of-chilli-so-now-I'm-so-constipated.

Hinata gasped. "Uzumaki Naruto, what did you do to Sakura?"

Ino was leaning more on the chilli, but... Meh.

"Nothing!" The blonde retorted defensively. "Well, nothing _directly_ to her—"

"What did you do?" His girlfriend said menacingly.

"—it was an indirect crime against her—"

"Naruto."

"—it wasn't anything offensive, just some articles—"

"Uzumaki."

"—she doesn't even know I had anything to do with her and Sasuke's now totally non-existent relationship."

"Uzumaki Naruto!"

"I asked Shikamaru to run a search on her and then found some stuff and I just printed them all and gave them to Sasuke, I don't even know what was written in those pieces of paper, it had some other language written, like Croatian or something." Naruto said in a hurry.

Both females turned to the lazy pineapple.

"Woah, don't blame this on me." He raised his hands in front of him in some sort of sad excuse for self-defense. "I emphasized to Naruto that these were old archives."

Both females turned to guilty blonde.

Naruto made a face again. "I didn't really emphasize they were old..."

"Naruto!"

"But I told him they were old!" the blonde said in his defense.

"I can't believe you would do that Naruto..." Hinata said disappointedly. "Sasuke was happy, maybe not totally, but he was getting there. And if it weren't for Sakura that wouldn't even be close to possible."

"I know, I know..."

Ino gave a little scoff. "Oh c'mon people, you're talking as if Sasuke's dead. He couldn't possibly be that depressed.

.

.

_:::_

.

.

"You were saying?"

"Oh dear God..." Ino whispered in shock as she surveyed the condition of Sasuke's house.

"Oh my God." Hinata gasped as she ran back out for some fresh air.

Shikamaru couldn't have been happier. He took one huge inhale and gave a sigh of relief. "Why didn't you tell me about this sooner?" He sighed in utter bliss which earned a glare from his girlfriend. "Um, smoking is bad?"

"You're lucky I didn't sic Sakura on you. Don't make me do it, you pothead." Ino said threateningly.

"I suck as a friend."

"Yes, yes you do." Ino agreed with Naruto's statement. "Let me talk to him." She said marching toward the Uchiha boy.

"I'll go with you." Shikamaru said in a daze as he trailed behind Ino, though he was only doing it to get closer to the source of the putridly divine aroma.

Ino sat on the single couch while Shikamaru so bravely sat beside the Uchiha boy, fortunately, he didn't move. Wait, he didn't move. Shit, is he dead?"

"Sasuke?"

An exhale of gray smoke alerted them that he was perfectly fine. Well, as fine as a depressed Uchiha could get. Naruto could only watch in utter guilt. _I'm such an awesome best friend.__ The awesomest in his kind._

"Wait, are the fumes getting to me or do I really smell something citrus-y?" Ino inquired, sticking her nose in the air. "And mint-y. Wow, didn't think those two would make nice with each other. Oh dear, am I _high_, Shikamaru?" Ino asked frantically.

"Troublesome." Shikamaru muttered. "No, Ino. You are not high. I smell it too."

"Even Sakura didn't get high staying here for months." Sasuke's deep voice whispered, which sounded scratchy and hoarse, like he hadn't drank water while trudging the Gobi desert for days under the summer heat.

"Sasuke, you sound horrible. Drink something." Ino said upfront, not really caring if she hurt his feelings. In the state he's in, she doubted if he could even feel anything.

Sasuke lifted a bottle to his lips and drank quickly. She couldn't believe she didn't see that, he was holding an alcohol bottle in his other hand. Tequila to be exact. Damn, Sasuke was really fucked up right now. And Ino kind of wanted to smash that bottle on Shikamaru's head seeing him asking Sasuke for a whiff of his joint.

"Shikamaru…" Ino growled.

"Just one drag, babe." Shikamaru said, inhaling a long one before giving it to Sasuke. He stood up and left, not exhaling.

Ino opened her mouth to say something but Sasuke beat her to it. "Don't even say anything Yamanaka, I don't give a fuck. Just get out."

"But that didn't really stop me before did it?" Ino countered. "Look, I don't care what the hell you do to yourself just because you want to fuck everything up, but really, this is overdoing it, this is bordering on killing yourself, and that I can't stand." She flicked her hair out of her face. "Get your shit together Uchiha!"

Sasuke, being the smart ass he is, raised both his joint and the alcohol bottle and hugged them to his chest. "Together." He muttered.

Ino's eye twitched and haughtily stormed outside, hitting Naruto on the chest. "Tag, you're it."

Time to face the music.

Naruto slowly dragged his feet toward where the Uchiha was sitting and situated himself on the couch's arm rest. He started to panic, it was exactly like how it was three years ago, he didn't know what to say, or if he did have something to say, he didn't know how to say it. Gah! Why is it always easier on TV?

"So what's up?" He blurted. _Fuck, no! Idiot!_

Sasuke looked at Naruto with a bored expression. "Really?"

"Cut me some slack, I'm trying here." Naruto said nervously. Sasuke didn't respond. The blonde didn't really know what Sasuke needed, well a bath maybe and mints, maybe some food… emotionally! He didn't know what Sasuke needed _emotionally_. Ino's talk didn't work, it usually didn't, Shikamaru's go-with-the-flow obviously didn't too. Maybe…

"You know, I can see you struggling, keeping everything to yourself. It's okay to talk about problems Sasuke, everyone has them."

"…"

"You've always been like that, making it seem like nothing's wrong. Maybe that's why you're such a dick most of the time. But when I saw you with Sakura, you weren't really that much of a dick. She brought out your good side. And maybe I was kind of jealous cause she fitted right in with ease, while I tried so hard."

"…"

"So now, I'm the absolute master dick who doesn't really deserve to be called your best friend since I practically sabotaged the only thing that was starting to make a positive change in your life."

"Na—"

"I'm sorry."

Sasuke was silent before he let out a breath. He leaned forward toward the table and set the bottle and his cancer stick down and settled back comfortably on his couch.

"Those papers you gave me…" Sasuke spoke, which alerted Naruto. "They were financial statements on the Swiss branch of the Uchiha Corporation. It was a good awakening to the real world."

This time it was Naruto who was speechless.

"Sakura's dad is the Executive President of the Switzerland branch of the Uchiha Corporation, so—"

Naruto's eyes widened. "Fuck she's loaded?"

"Very much so, until you showed those financial statements to me. I don't know what's happening over there but as the years went by their numbers went down. And by down, I mean _down_."

"So… what are you going to do about that?" Naruto spoke slowly, now being conscious of his words.

"Don't know."

Naruto couldn't really think of anything to say so he just sat there. What could he say? The damage was done, he couldn't do anything about it. He looked at Sasuke and saw him just staring into space. A thought came to his mind. He didn't want to do it, despite the circumstances he still didn't want to do it. But if he was going to regain even the tiniest sliver of trust back from Sasuke he had to do it.

"Hey man, Ino's right, you look horrible. I'd punch Rock Lee a hundred times and you'd still look worse." Naruto said lightly hoping to get a reaction.

Nothing.

Now he was even more convinced he had to swallow his pride.

.

.

_:::_

.

.

"Naruto?"

"Hi… Sakura." The blonde ground out through clenched teeth.

The pinkette held the door open wider. "Oh dear, how rude of me. Come in." She said with a smile. The blonde stared at her and found it hard to stay angry. He walked past her making sure to avoid looking at her to save some of his dignity. But his façade fell once he surveyed her penthouse.

"What brings you here? Though I don't remember telling you where I live. I guess Ino told you." Sakura rambled. "I'm forgetting my manners again, please sit." She continued as she sat down on her couch while Naruto took a seat in front of her.

"So…" She began again, breathless. "Do want anything to drink?"

"I'm fine."

Sakura shot up abruptly from her seat startling Naruto. "I know you're thirsty, don't be shy. But I only have tea… I can make you some juice." Once again she rambled as she made her way to her kitchen. Naruto was starting to look at her like she was crazy. He followed.

"I only have grape juice, do you mind?" She asked with a smile.

"Yes, I mind."

Sakura's smile faltered a bit as she lowered the pitcher down. Another smile made its' way to her face. "Well, I th—"

Naruto shot his arm out and held her shoulders, it was an unexpected move, but he had too otherwise Sakura wouldn't stop talking. "Sakura, it's fine. Just… just stay still."

"I'm sorry… It's just that I'm nervous. And I ramble when I'm nervous." She hung her head. "I know you don't like me and Sasuke says we would've been great friends, so I… I— am I trying too hard?" She asked sheepishly. If she was ashamed it didn't show that much. Only genuine concern was etched on her face.

The blonde let her go and cried out in frustration. He wanted to hate Sakura, he really did. But it was so _hard_ when she was so_ nice_. If she could melt Uchiha Sasuke's frozen black heart, then there's nothing she couldn't do. Naruto rubbed his face. "Ugh… Why is it so hard to hate you?" He thought out loud.

"Pardon?"

He shook his head. "Never mind that. I'm here to talk about Sasuke." He saw her face fall.

"What about Sasuke?"

"He's miserable, Sakura." Naruto breathed out. "I-I don't know anymore. One day he's fine and the next he's bordering on suicidal. He won't listen to reason. And I'm scared… I don't— I don't know what to do. Ino tried talking to him, Hinata won't even go in that house, Shikamaru and Kiba are absolutely no help and I'm a fuck-up. So please Sakura… could you talk to him?"

Sakura was wide-eyed at Naruto. She already knew Sasuke's condition, but she was surprised that Naruto was practically begging her. "I visited him a few times." She gave an awkward laugh. "He won't even let me in the house."

Naruto took her hands in his. "Please Sakura… Try harder. I'll get you in that house. Just please help Sasuke."

Sakura blushed at the sudden contact. "Y-You're his best friend. Besides, I'm just a stranger to him."

"You changed him Sakura. In the few months you were with him was the greatest improvement we've seen. We tried for years but he was a stubborn bastard. He-He listens to you." Naruto swallowed a hard gulp. "You hold a place in his heart."

The female shook free from Naruto's hold. "Please Naruto… d-don't say that. But I'll try and talk to him again. "

"Thank you, Sakura. I just know he'd listen to you.

.

.

_:::_

.

.

"Get the fuck out!"

"Teme!" Naruto cried out watching a bottle whizz past him. "Hey! That could've hurt someone!"

The day after Naruto's visit to Sakura's he had brought Sakura back to Sasuke's house. He had hoped that once Sasuke saw Sakura he'd be okay… Boy was he dead wrong. Now they stood in the living room, Naruto and Sakura inch by inch backing towards the door to avoid Sasuke's rage.

Sasuke pointed a bottle at a cowering Sakura. "You…" He seethed menacingly. "I know why you're here. Do you think I'm stupid? I may be high, but I'm not stupid. Seducing the only heir to the Uchiha Corporation… You're nothing but a tramp!"

"Hey teme! Out of line!"

At this Sakura fumed. "Excuse me? I can take all other names you called me, but I won't stand being called a tramp! Which I am not!"

"So you're saying you're a liar, a traitor, a fucking gold digger." Sasuke growled.

"I didn't say that!" Sakura cried. "Sasuke!—"

"Don't call me that! You don't have the right!"

Sakura frowned and straightened in her stance. "Put down that damn bottle Uchiha and talk to me like a civilized man."

"Fuck you." He ground out.

Sakura pulled on her hair. "Are you even listening to yourself? You sound ridiculous!"

"You can't judge me, you don't have the right to judge me! You're only here for the money you don't really care, so quit playing, _Sakura_." The venom he laced with her name was so vile that it sent shivers up Naruto's spine.

Sakura was taken aback. "Money? What the hell are you talking about?"

Sasuke threw the bottle on the ground smashing it, earning a shriek from both the blonde and the pinkette. "Don't play dumb with me, you're only here for the money. You're going broke, aren't you? That's why you're here. Seduce the last Uchiha hoping to get a cut of his money and soon fly back to daddy." He mocked.

"What?! I don't care about your damn money!"

"Shut up!" Sasuke growled. He pointed the broken bottle at the two and slowly advanced towards them. "Get out… Get out!"

"Oy Sasuke! Put that down!" Naruto said slowly backing away, his eyes shifted to Sakura who was still rooted to her spot. "Sakura! Get away!"

Once Sasuke was a foot's length away from Sakura he stopped but still held an unwavering glare. His eyes were red, his lips were dry and chapped and his whole face was starting to turn an ugly shade of gray. "Get out." He seethed lowly making sure Sakura could hear every venom laced syllable.

As soon as Sasuke spoke the smell from his smoking sessions wafted violently up her nose. A violent mix of nicotine, weed and bad breath. Her eyes squinted at the vile stench, threatening to tear up. Her heart pounded wildly and she started to breath rapidly. She felt her air passages close down and soon everything was starting to blur. She choked and coughed. Sakura reached out to Sasuke hoping to catch herself before she fell, she ended up scratching her arm on the broken bottle in Sasuke's hands.

Too late.

_Thud_

"Sakura!"

* * *

><p><strong>SPn:** But srsly guys, I'm fond of short chapters, so bear with me. :) Aaaaand, I hated that last chapter. That's why I was so hesitant on posting it.

Tell me what you think! :)


	11. Tears For Fears

**SP/n:** Even in my other stories you people keep hinting at Hands Up High. Terrorists. :| On that note, check out **Aftermath** and leave lovely reviews! :)

**disclaimer:  
><strong>I wish I owned Daft Punk.

* * *

><p><em>Recap:<em>

_Sakura reached out to Sasuke hoping to catch herself before she fell, she ended up scratching her arm on the broken bottle in Sasuke's hands._

_Too late._

_Thud_

"_Sakura!"_

.

.

_:::_

.

.

He couldn't do it. He just couldn't. When it came to Sakura…

He just couldn't hate her.

When he saw her crumbling it took him a good minute to process what was happening. He saw her squint; what was wrong with her? He saw that she started to breath rapidly, is she having a stroke? He saw that she was slowly sinking to the ground, what the hell is wrong with her? He heard Naruto cry out Sakura's name.

Then it all clicked a second later. The anger on his face melted.

She was having an attack.

He sat outside her room, the doctors and nurses left a while ago. Some asked him if he needed to be treated, he didn't speak. He was sitting there holding his head in his hands. Naruto was in there with Sakura, but he didn't know if she was conscious or not.

He stood from his seat and reached for the door knob. He retracted his hand and ruffled his hair. If she was conscious, what would he say? Hey, sorry for almost killing you— again? No. He turned to the door when he heard it open.

"She has asthma?" Of course it would be Naruto.

"Mild asthma." Sasuke muttered guiltily.

"That wasn't mild." Sasuke thanked the Lord above that Naruto chose to be tact and didn't imply an accusing tone to his statement.

"I know."

"And this is the second time it happened."

"…"

"I'm calling Hinata and have her come over." Naruto said. "You…" He looked at Sasuke pointedly. "Get your shit together." He said with finality before walking away.

Sasuke stood outside the door still in an internal battle. Deciding that he should sit down, he did. He thought that maybe Sakura didn't want to see his face for a while, hell, even he didn't want to see himself. So he sat there watching her door waiting for Naruto to get back.

.

.

_:::_

.

.

"How are you feeling?"

Sakura gave a tired smile. "Better."

After a day of bed rest Sakura finally came to. She would've woke up a lot sooner had the doctors given her a more mild sedative. She scanned the room and found Naruto and Hinata watching as the doctor examined her. But no Sasuke.

"Haruno-san, when has it been since you last used your inhaler?" the doctor asked.

"A few days ago."

"Why have you stopped?"

Sakura hesitated for a while. "…I ran out. Japan doesn't sell my kind of meds."

The doctor looked down at Sakura then back to her clipboard. "I'll prescribe you a substitute for now, but make sure that you can secure your medications, and stay away from places that can induce your asthma."

"Yes sir."

"I'll write you up so you'll be discharged in the afternoon."

"Thank you."

Just as the doctor exited Sakura's room, a familiar raven-head entered carrying a plastic bag. Three pairs of eyes greeted him as he entered noisily. Blue eyes stared at him knowingly, pearl eyes were cautious and alert, while green eyes were tired and… relieved?

"Good morning… you look better."

This was out of order. Sasuke slowly made his way toward Sakura making sure to avoid Naruto's calculating gaze.

"What's that?" Sakura asked, as if Sasuke hadn't almost killed her— again, yesterday.

"I thought of flowers, but you're allergic to pollen. So I got you a… sandwich?" Sasuke replied, unsure. It sounded okay in his head, but when he started to say it, it started getting weirder and more awkward by the syllable. But then he was Uchiha Sasuke, anything social made him awkward and in nobody's right mind would a sandwich sound right in their heads.

Naruto blew up. "Wow teme, really? A sandwich? How romantic of you." He guffawed. Soon the tension in the room diffused.

"I couldn't think of anything else." Sasuke ground out, directing his glare to Naruto, who was still laughing.

"A card! It says that you care deeply and that you took the effort to make it. All that a sandwich says is, 'sup man, let's get a beer later." Naruto cried out. He received a slap on the shoulder by Hinata. "Hinataaaa…"

Sakura decided to join in. "Nothing says 'sorry for almost killing you again', than a sandwich." Naruto doubled over.

"Sakura…"

Naruto's laughter died and soon the tension in the room was back ten-fold. Sasuke set the plastic bag on Sakura's bedside table so he'd look less ridiculous. "Can we talk?" He spoke in a tone that left no room for jokes. Both Naruto and Hinata quietly left the room mentioning about a light snack. As soon as the couple left the room Sasuke sat on the stool beside Sakura's bed. It was only then that he noticed Sakura's bandaged arm.

"It's okay." Sakura said, knowing where Sasuke was looking.

"No, it's not okay." Sasuke frowned. "I don't get it—, I don't get _you_. What are you Haruno Sakura?"

Sakura looked at Sasuke strangely. "I don't follow…"

"You come to Japan, a country you've never been to, alone, with the most inappropriate wardrobe and you waltz in the house of a mad man who is this close to death; and like some fairy godmother, say that you're here to help." Sasuke said, frowning throughout his whole speech. "What are you really doing here?"

Sakura opened her mouth to speak but Sasuke interjected. "And don't say that you and my mom were close… I don't believe any of that shit." The words died in Sakura's mouth and she remained silent.

"Really?" Sasuke said exasperatedly. "You're sticking to that lie?"

"It's not a lie." Sakura fought back, with the most strength that she could put in her voice. It came off in a raspy whisper. "Why is it so hard for you to believe that I am genuinely inclined to help you?"

"Because I don't deserve anyone's kindness! Not my friends, and definitely not from a stranger!" Sasuke cried.

"That's not true. Stop being so negative." Sakura rolled her eyes, kind of tired of how Sasuke was always feeling sorry for himself. It's the only thing he ever did. "Really? I'm a stranger? After all these months? Gee, thanks."

Sasuke raised both eyebrows in surprise at Sakura's abrupt change in attitude.

Sakura sighed. "I'm sorry. It's just that I'm really tired and you're screaming and I just don't want to deal with it right now." She shifted so that she could sit up straight. "For the record, I'm not a tramp. I'm not here to seduce you; I have absolutely zero sexual appeal. I'm not here for your money, I don't care about the Uchiha Corporation, here or back at Switzerland." She sighed. "I'm guessing you didn't read your mom's letter yet."

Condusion passed across Sasuke's face. "Letter?"

Sakura looked at him pointedly. There was absolutely no getting to this guy. She sighed again as she fiddled with her sheets. "I need to go back to Switzerland. I ran out of meds and they don't sell it here. I was supposed to go back a week ago but I extended my stay." She looked up at Sasuke. "I'll be leaving tonight, so I guess this is goodbye." She smiled, sadly albeit.

Sasuke stayed quiet for awhile before speaking. "Can you tell me something about my mother?" He asked.

Sakura looked taken back. After all these months he still didn't trust her. It stung, she wouldn't lie. But when Uchiha Mikoto's face would flash across her mind a smile would come to her face. "She had shoulder length black hair, like mine, and always had the smallest but prettiest smile on her face. She had wanted to go to school to study fashion but was forced to take up Business. She didn't regret it when she met Uchiha Fugaku." Sakura smiled.

"She had two sons, Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Sasuke. She always wanted a daughter but males were dominant in her and Fugaku's family; but loved her sons nevertheless. She said she would love to move out of the metropolitan district in Tokyo and move somewhere near the beach." She looked at Sasuke with a smile still on her face. "Okinawa maybe? Somewhere south."

Somewhere along her story Sasuke started to remember the fond memories he had with his mother and he felt his eyes well up a bit. A particular memory the flitted across his mind was the one where he had given his first gift.

"On her 40th birthday, a five-year old Sasuke gave her a necklace which he bought at a school fair. But she couldn't wear it because she was allergic to fake jewelry." A laugh came out of Sakura's mouth. "So she replaced the chain with white gold and stuck the pendant through." When she looked at Sasuke he had his shoulders slumped and his head bowed low.

"The pendant was in the shape of a strawberry because little Sasu-chan knew that it was her favorite fruit." Sakura wove her fingers through Sasuke's hair as his shoulders started to shake and sniffles could be heard. She smiled.

.

.

_:::_

.

.

When Sasuke got home it was already nearing 10 in the evening. As soon as Sakura was let out of the hospital, he, Naruto and Hinata took Sakura out for an impromptu farewell party. They took her to the most peaceful part of the metropolitan area and had a session of street food eating. It wasn't much but they had fun. When nightfall came they had to send Sakura off to the airport with nothing but the clothes on her back and her satchel. It was how she came in Japan, and it was how she would leave it.

Sakura and Sasuke didn't have an overdramatic love confession scene where Sakura would give up her plane ticket and stay with him then have a full make-out session with the whole airport clapping then the credits would roll within the next few seconds.

But he wished they had. Otherwise, Sakura would still be with him at that second.

They hugged. And that was it. It wasn't even a bear-crushing emotion-filled hug, it was just a tame arms around each other type of hug. Sakura got a more crushing hug from Hinata than him. He then felt stupid the second he saw her plane fly out. He wished he could've said something that would've made her stay. He wished he could've apologized more for all the crap that he had given Sakura during her stay in Japan. He wished he could've given her one last kiss.

But he didn't.

A sigh passed across his lips as he flopped on his couch. He reached in his pocket to pull out a stick and lighter. He placed it in his mouth as he lit it. Smoke exited his nose as he exhaled. He leaned back and surveyed the dim living room, then his eyes fell on a crumpled envelope at the edge of coffee table. He jolted in his seat as he reached for it.

_Sasuke _was written in neat, familiar handwriting across the back of it.

The first few letters his mother had sent him she had written _Sasu-chan_ at the back of it. He told her to change it because he got embarrassed because his roommate laughed at the nickname. Aburame Shino.

With shaky hands he opened the envelope slowly and unfolded it.

_Dear Sasu-chan,_

Tears were starting in well up in Sasuke's eyes.

_Dear Sasu-chan,_

_I wanted to give this to you myself when I came back to Japan, but the spirit of exchanging letters would be lost if I did. :) I doubt the letter would arrive before me. You're welcome, honey. I know you like those 90% dark chocolate. That's wonderful! Well, keep up the good work, my little Sasu-chan! I'll talk to your father about giving you something nice on your birthday. :) But I will not tolerate the idea of an apartment. It's enough I let you dorm so far away from me! Maybe when you're 40. Until then my baby stays with me. :)_

_Anyway, I've been meaning to tell you about Sakura-chan. :) She's the daughter of daddy's friend here in Switzerland. We stay at their place every time we visit. Saves money. :))) She's like the daughter I never had! She's just so lovely and cute and aaaaah~ I want to bring her back with me to Japan. :3 But her dad is really strict since it's just the two of them. :( But someday… ;)_

_I think you both suit each other. The whole opposites attract is very much in play here. ;) I know you're rolling your eyes Uchiha Sasuke. And yes, I wanted to write about this girl for a while and introduce you so that I can have the daughter I always wanted. Itachi-kun seems to support the idea of you and her. He's very fond of her too. They're close. But I want SasuxSaku! It has a better ring to it. Ring, get it? If you like it you should've put a ring on it! Put a ring on her Sasu-chan! :)))_

_I know mommy is getting ahead of herself. :))) But humor an old woman's wishes. Sakura-chan is a tiny girl. With a rocking body. ;) She's really smart too! I think she's majoring in Finance and has a minor in Psychology? I don't know. She's a self-proclaimed weirdo, which is why we got along really well. Self-proclaimed weirdoes raise the roof! :))) She has asthma though, poor little thing. Can't live without her inhaler. :( But you don't like animals right? It's perfect! :)_

_Okay, okay. I'm done. I'll stop. :))) Write to me soon okay baby? Mommy loves you! :*  
><em>_Love,  
><em>_Mommy Mikoto_

_P.S. There's a picture of Sakura in the envelope! ;)_

True to her word, included in the letter was a picture of Sakura with his mother. They were both grinning to the camera with their hands raised in the stereotypical Asian peace sign. Sakura had shorter hair back then, it was shorter than her current shoulder-length look; closely resembling a bob cut. At the back of it wrote:

_Happy Birthday Mikoto-chan!_

Sasuke held onto the picture tightly as more tears cascaded down his face.

* * *

><p><strong>SPn:** Sad news in the future for HUH. :)

(PS) No sequel for Aftermath, sorry.

Tell me what you think! :)


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